Crime of Passion
by x.MyrtenasterRose.x
Summary: [Cover art by superevilbadguy.] One was homeless. One was rich. Both desired companionship and to truly fit in. They lived on opposite ends of the spectrum but, with the careful nurturing of a budding relationship, realize perhaps it truly is possible to meet in the middle. [mAU. Diakko.]
1. Chapter 1

**Perhaps against my better judgement, I've started a new story. Let's see if my love for LWA lasts long enough for me to actually complete a story this time…**

 **Yes, this is also a repost I tried posting a few months ago back when I was working on RWBY fics as well. Now that my focus is solely on LWA, however, I'm hoping I can actually get farther than chapter two. Again, we shall see… Also have other (LWA) fic ideas I'd like to get out there, but only time will tell.**

* * *

.:Crime of Passion:.

* * *

 **Chapter One**

"Get back here you little thief!"

Laughing from the adrenaline rush, Akko pushed herself to run faster, the wallet she had just nabbed remaining tight in her clutches.

"You can't catch me!" she hollered behind her, her glee increasing as the man chasing after her gradually fell behind.

Akko vaulted over a small wall before she was outside the park boundary, zipping across the street and dodging traffic like a pro. Living on the streets for so long made things just like this second nature, after all.

Darting into an alley, Akko finally came to a stop, leaning heavily against the wall of a building as she caught her breath. She was unable to engage in her spoils, however, as the wail of sirens quickly approached. Akko grinned, her eyes glinting upon seeing the police car pull up on the street beside her.

"Stop right there!" one cop ordered upon getting out of the driver's side and pointing at Akko.

After making sure the wallet was stashed securely inside her hoodie pocket, Akko spun on her heel and darted off down the alley.

"Catch me if you can!" she taunted again, giggling with mirth as a second cop bolted from the passenger's side to pursue her.

Akko knew these back alleys by heart, however, so the thundering of two pairs of footsteps behind her didn't cause her to fret in the slightest. She knew that, given time, she would eventually lose them.

Upon turning into a particular alleyway, however, Akko skidded to a halt upon seeing another police car blocking her escape, an all too familiar and imposing figure looming by the street entrance and waiting for her.

"Crap! Chief Finneran!" Akko shrieked before quickly backpedalling and turning yet another corner. She couldn't hear the two cops from before anymore so she slowed her pace to allow herself to think of her best means of escape. Still, the thrill never left her.

"Miss Kagari! Stop right this instant!" the stern voice of the police chief echoed after her.

"Yeah right," Akko grumbled with a roll of her eyes. While she saw running from the cops as a sort of game—though it was more of a hobby, honestly—Chief Finneran was the final boss she knew to stay away from.

All of Akko's previous run-ins with the woman had taught her well.

"Crap!" Akko exclaimed once more upon seeing she had miscalculated somewhere. Her latest turn had led her to an alley with a tall chain link fence separating her from her freedom this time.

Akko recalled her last attempt to scale it, and her tailbone began to tingle from the haunting memory.

Though with the resuming sound of duo footfalls, Akko knew she didn't have much choice. Another fall was nothing compared to the sure wrath of Finneran, or another overnight in jail.

The two cops from the beginning rounded the corner before coming to a halt, and though their caps obscured their faces, Akko could see their grins. A similar look formed on her own lips as Akko simply stuck her tongue out at them.

"Watch this!"

Taking off at breakneck speed, Akko leapt at the fence before beginning to clamor up it haphazardly. Not even halfway up however, she felt a tug on the leg of her pants. Huffing, Akko looked down and into familiar green eyes that were flashing in amusement.

"You really want to fall on your ass again, Akko?"

Akko groaned before letting her face fall against the cool metal of the fence.

"Shut up, Croix."

The cop, Croix, just chuckled before stepping back from the fence and holding out her arms. "Need a hand?"

Begrudgingly, Akko accepted, and let herself fall into the waiting arms below her. Before the purple-haired woman could mock her anymore though, Akko broke free of the bridal carry, landing on her feet with a "hmph."

"It's not like you to choose this alley as your escape," Croix pointed out. "You're getting sloppy."

"It's not my fault Finneran showed up and spooked me," Akko rebutted. "You know how much that woman hates me. Why'd she get called in anyway?"

"Perhaps because she knows it's you we're dealing with, and of our…incompetency when it comes to apprehending you," the second cop finally spoke up with a gentle laugh.

Akko just smiled warmly at the second woman before closing the short distance between them with a hug and laugh of her own.

"I can't help that you became so taken with me," she jabbed playfully.

"Yeah, Chariot, what a great cop you are, falling for the little delinquent we're always supposed to catch," Croix joined in as well.

"Hush, the both of you," Chariot huffed before pulling Akko back and trying to fix her with her hardest look. "Now, Akko, you know Croix and I love you and favor you, but this is the third time this week that we've been called for something you're involved in. If we don't show up with you in handcuffs, we need to report back with something."

"And it's only Thursday," Croix piped up, which earned her a half-hearted glare from her redheaded counterpart.

Akko immediately deflated when the conversation took a turn south, shoulders slouching and hands fisting around the wallet in her pocket.

"It's been a rough week," she mumbled, kicking at the ground beneath her in hopes to earn her more pity points. "I'm grasping at straws here."

"What keeps happening to the money Croix and I give you each month?"

Akko folded in even more on herself. "I owe some people…"

Chariot sighed and squeezed Akko's shoulder. "Akko… Please tell me it's not the Rebels again."

"Okay, I won't…"

When Chariot simply sighed once more, Croix chuckled lightly before taking her turn.

"Akko, why do you keep bothering with them? You don't really want to be a part of them, do you?"

"I don't know," Akko continued to mumble. "Sometimes I think it'd be nice to belong to something like that, but then I know that I'm just not cut out for it. I mean, you both know I already feel bad for having to steal and pickpocket, even though I put on a good show; I couldn't join a gang with a good conscience…"

"Then why do you keep giving money to them?"

"B-Because Amanda keeps tricking me!"

It was Croix's turn to groan and roll her eyes. "O'Neill, huh? Yeah, she can be a slippery one."

"You're telling me," Akko grumbled as she looked away from her friends. "She keeps saying that if I invest in her, good things will happen, and sometimes they do, but then she just asks for more money, and I guess I'm too stupid to stop."

"You are far from stupid, Akko," Chariot consoled, pulling the brunette back against her in another hug. "You try to make the best of your circumstances, as unfortunate as they are. Even you're bound to make mistakes sometimes."

"But seriously," Croix deadpanned, "stop giving that girl money."

"Croix!"

"I'm right, aren't I?"

Akko giggled a bit at the women's usual banter, the two of them always managing to brighten her days, even if their meetings sometimes ended up with her in a cell for the night.

"So do you guys really have to take me in?" she asked hesitantly. "I'll give you the wallet back if it'll keep me out. I haven't taken anything from it yet, I swear."

Chariot looked contemplative for all of a second before she seemed to give in and smile.

"Just give us the wallet and we'll let you go," she said.

Akko beamed and fished the billfold out before quickly tossing it to Croix. Chariot fixed her with a stern look then, but Akko merely huffed, knowing what was coming.

"But next time you'll have to arrest me, I know."

The two officers escorted Akko back to the entrance of the current alleyway before the brunette spun back around and gave both of them a hug.

"Thank you both. Again."

"I'd say stay out of trouble, but I know who I'm talking to," Croix joshed.

"Shut up," Akko replied with a chuckle.

"Do take care though, Akko," Chariot said next. "Why don't you play more in the park? I'm sure that guitar of yours would like the practice."

"Maybe," Akko shrugged. "People usually just ignore me though, and so it gets disheartening after a while."

"Still, you're good at it, Akko, and I know it makes you happy," Chariot responded. "Maybe we'll try to stop by and leave a 'tip.'"

"Well, if that's a promise…"

Both of the women laughed before Chariot lightly swatted Akko on the behind.

"Get out of here you little troublemaker. We'll go endure Finneran's wrath in your stead."

"Thanks, Officer du Nord," Akko smiled with one final hug. With an added shout of, "Bye Croix!" last minute, Akko darted back off between the many buildings surrounding them.

She made it back out to the street with no more hassles and no sight of Chief Finneran. Relieved, Akko finally took the time to relax. Even though she knew Chariot and Croix were on her side most of the time, she still didn't like having to run into them. She knew she was constantly putting their jobs in jeopardy, and she had spoken up on their behalf before and told them she didn't need them to protect her all the time. Yet they always refused to budge, even going as far as giving her so much money a month to help her feed and take care of herself.

After all, they knew it wasn't her fault she was homeless.

Akko didn't know much about her mother, and nothing about her father. All she had managed to learn was that her mother had come to America from Japan by sneaking aboard a ship when she was pregnant. She hadn't been any older than Akko at the time, however, and so once Akko had been born, she had left her on the stoop of an orphanage, a note explaining what she could tucked within the folds of a blanket.

Akko had lived at the orphanage until she was fifteen when she decided to strike out on her own. No family had ever seemed interested in adopting her, so she had gradually grown bitter and concluded she didn't need a family anyway. Of course, two years later, Akko wished she hadn't acted so brazen.

Sure, she could always show back up at the orphanage and would most likely be taken back in, but her pride wouldn't allow it. She had always thrown a fit while she was there, what reason should she be allowed to come back after acting like the little delinquent she was? Besides, she only had a few months until she turned eighteen, and then she really _would_ be back on the streets.

It wasn't like she was homeless because she was lazy or incompetent either. Akko had applied for several run of the mill jobs, but even then she was simply cast aside in favor of some other applicant who had experience, no matter how little. People didn't realize how difficult it was to get a job when you had no place to live. Even if she happened to land something, how was she to manage her uniform, or dress professionally? She barely had enough money to feed herself most of time, never mind going to a laundermat. Not like she even had clothes that needed to be washed. The extent of her wardrobe was the overly large burgundy hoodie she always wore, a pair of jeans with holes in the knees, ratty sneakers, and her signature gray knit beanie. She had one pair of sweatpants she wore to sleep in, and one graphic t-shirt she had nabbed from Goodwill back in the quite literal hole in the wall she lived in, and that was it.

Even though she hated to rely on them, Akko was grateful for Chariot and Croix's kindness. Despite the opposite ends of the spectrum they resided on, they tried their best to treat Akko as daughter, or at the very least a friend. Hell, Akko had even been invited to spend a night or two at their place before, though she only took their offer when she was desperate. She was usually able to find other means, even if that meant breaking into a gym after hours to use the showers there, or shoplift a single bag of chips from a convenience store for dinner.

Deciding she had done enough brooding for one day, Akko resolutely shook her head to clear her thoughts. She stuffed her hands in her hoodie pocket, readjusted her beanie, and continued to shuffle down the sidewalk. Glancing up at the sun, she noticed it was about one in the afternoon.

Smile flickering across her face, and her next destination firmly in mind, Akko picked up her pace. She guided herself through the maze of the city until she came to its outskirts, the most recent corner she turned dropping her right in front of a huge expanse of land, one archway proudly telling everyone where they now were.

 _Luna Nova Academy_.

She stepped through the archway tentatively, keeping an eye out for any students or campus security. Even though the grounds weren't gated and the school didn't have uniforms, Akko knew she stuck out like a sore thumb and didn't belong regardless. As the most esteemed school in the area, the brunette was certain none of its students would be caught dead dressed the way Akko was.

Or wear the same outfit two days in a row, let alone seven.

Still, from her experience on campus, Akko was pretty sure the next change of class wouldn't be for another few minutes, so she quickly made her way to her choice spot on the grounds: a large oak tree which overlooked one of the many class halls. With a running start, Akko ran up half the length of the trunk until she could grasp the lowest hanging branch. From there, she expertly climbed her way higher and higher.

Thank the heavens her tree-climbing skills were better than her fence-climbing skills.

Meandering her way out onto her favorite branch, Akko stretched her legs out before her and leaned back against the trunk, her eyes trained on one of the many windows to the hall she overlooked.

School, at least in the usual sense, had never been an option for her. Sure, the orphanage had their own classroom set up for the kids, so Akko had been through basic schooling. Even after running away, she would make her way to the library quite often to keep up to date on the most basic knowledge she felt a girl of her age should know. She may not be able to write a thesis on differing political views and their influences on society, but she still knew general history, math, science, and language.

For a homeless girl her age, Akko considered that pretty substantial.

She always found herself up in this tree on campus, however, because she longed for one of the many things she had missed out on: companionship.

Having been taught in a class with maybe five students at the most, Akko had yet to experience the general immersion public or private schools offered. She didn't have any friends her age, and even though she had browsed several _Social Skills for Dummies_ books, had little to no idea how to go about talking to her peers.

Hell, her two best friends were _cops_ ; and while she loved both Chariot and Croix to death, they weren't exactly the kind of friends she had always dreamed of having.

This was the biggest reason Akko constantly spied on the populous of Luna Nova; she liked to imagine herself down there amongst the daily routine of classes and free time. She lived vicariously through its students, getting the school experience she had always dreamed of from afar. It was fun in its own way; she didn't have to worry about homework or tests, or showing up every day on time, yet it still let her feel even the tiniest bit included. Sometimes, when she was feeling extremely bold, she would forgo her tree entirely and huddle up outside one of the classroom windows and listen in on the lecture firsthand. Sure, she couldn't participate, but at least she could hear the lesson.

The school bell echoing across campus had Akko sitting up from the trunk of the tree to instead shift on the branch so her legs were dangling off. She leaned forward in anticipation, a smile on her face as she watched the class change. She had the perfect vantage point, able to watch as one room emptied completely before refilling with a new group of students, some exiting the building to mill about the grounds on their break, others heading to different halls on the opposite side of campus.

She stiffened a bit when a group of four girls made their way beneath the tree Akko currently occupied, chattering all the while. They had to be gossiping, Akko assumed, with how quiet their conversation was, as well as the constant fitful of giggles that bled out of them. They each settled down in the grass, still chatting away, and some began pulling food out of their bags, others books and homework. Akko marveled how she had yet to be spotted to this day. All one would have to do is simply look up to find her sitting above them. She tried to quiet her giggles at the surprised expressions she was sure to garner, before her nerves flared at the notion of being caught. Surely her being here wouldn't warrant the cops like many of her other daily activities would, but she was technically trespassing, so she was certain to get in trouble regardless.

With those thoughts in mind, Akko chose to huddle back against the trunk, hoping the foliage of the tree would continue to conceal her. She didn't need to see Chariot and Croix twice in one day; Croix would never let her live it down.

She waited another hour, observing each and every aspect of a normal day at school that she could before another bell sounded. She heard the four girls sigh below her before they got up and headed back towards the building they had come out of. Once things had settled down yet again, and no one else took refuge under her tree, Akko deemed it her time to leave. She shouldn't overstay her welcome.

Even though she hadn't been welcomed in the first place…

She scaled down the tree with finesse and had just gotten her feet back on the ground when a throat clearing behind her had her cringing.

Busted.

"Don't you know it is rude to spy on others?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Short chapter, but with how I've been lately, any kind of update is a sign of a miracle. Definitely more to come!**

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

On the outside, Diana Cavendish had the perfect life. Born into one of the city's wealthiest families, she had never wanted a day in her life. Her father had been an esteemed judge, and her mother a beloved doctor. They had brought honor to the family—and herself by extension. Her perfect grades and extracurricular activities at school made others idolize her, people clamoring to be her friend, or just to associate with her on the most basic of levels. She was beautiful and refined, not a day going by with a single hair out of place.

Yes, Diana Cavendish had the perfect life, indeed. She had no room or right to complain.

But that was only a mere outsider's opinion. There was much more going on behind the scenes; things that made this 'perfect life' lackluster, fake.

Instead, for the longest time now, Diana felt her life was anything but perfect.

The respect she garnered was all because of her name, nothing more. Her grades were perfect because it was expected of her, not because of her love of school. Being the teacher's favorite was an empty feeling when it was only done based upon insistence. Image was everything. Cavendishes were elite.

And Diana played the role superiorly. To strangers, she was the immaculate heiress. She was proud without being arrogant, demure without being rude.

Yet that's all this was: a role to be played. An act. One Diana was the ideal fit for.

And it was one she had never wanted anything to do with.

Things hadn't always been like this, however. There was a time where Diana remembered being carefree, happy, and hopeful; surrounded by the love and warmth of her parents, knowing that she would continue to be loved no matter what because her parents cherished her. Not because of her name or status, but simply because she was their daughter.

She hadn't always been a puppet on a string. She hadn't always had to work to jump expertly through every flaming hoop held out to her. She hadn't always dreaded waking up each day, knowing the life she was living wasn't truly hers.

Everything changed once her father passed away when she was seven, and her mother three years later only days after her tenth birthday.

With the matriarch and patriarch out of the picture, and Diana still only being a child at the time, her aunt took up the role as head of the family. Only they weren't really a 'family' anymore. The disdain her aunt had felt towards her mother all their lives continued even after her death, so her aunt only pretended to mourn the passing of her sister. Inside she was celebrating. At last _she_ was the one with power; no longer overshadowed by her 'perfect sister' or the 'hotshot husband.'

The Cavendishes were about to enter a new era, and even at the tender age of ten, Diana knew that the future was foreboding. Done out of a prideful ego, not continuing love of a family name.

Diana had been kept around simply because her parents' will left her in custody of her aunt, though even before her parents' passing, her aunt had never worked hard to hide her ire for the youngest Cavendish. She was housed and given the basic necessities, but the love that had once surrounded her had been snuffed out. She became cold and bitter as she grew into her teenaged years, and the closed-off personality she adopted made it easier for her aunt to mold her into the perfect doll for society to gawk at.

While her aunt was vile behind closed doors, she too could play a role perfectly. And she pulled off the leading role flawlessly; being charismatic and humble and everything else expected of an established family head when in the public's eye. At the end of each day though, she had no qualms berating Diana for every little thing she could pin on her. The higher her aunt climbed in high society, so too was Diana expected to replicate that success in school and day-to-day life. By the time she was a freshman in high school, she was already being pressured to apply to colleges, coerced into declaring majors she had no interest in at all. Now a senior, she was only so far from the most pivotal change in her life.

And it had all been meticulously, maliciously, planned out for her, leaving no room for her own input or desires anymore.

Diana had tried rebelling against her aunt on occasion, but a sharp tongue and a quick hand were enough to eventually have her submit. Even though she continued to stew in her own silent hatred and anger for what her aunt had done to her family name, Diana matured and realized that the best way to defeat her aunt would be to simply bide her time and follow her orders.

Still, all this did little to fill the void in her heart left by her parents.

The jarring ring of the school bell was able to reach Diana in the depths of her cryptic thoughts and memories, and she stopped her practiced note taking with a heavy sigh. She had zoned out for most of the lecture, yet somehow had been able to write clear and concise notes regardless.

A practiced skill, obviously, she thought dryly with a roll of her eyes as she collected her things.

"Diana!"

The shrill cry from right next to her would have caused her jump had she not grown so accustomed to it as well. Plastering on a smile, she turned to face the redhead.

"Barbara and I were going to go off campus for lunch since Professor Babcock's class is cancelled. You wanna join?"

"No, thank you, girls," she declined politely. "I think I'll just head to the library to get an early start on tonight's assignments."

Barbara Parker and Hannah England were probably the closest things to friends Diana had. They had started out as fan girls, following Diana everywhere she went and taking every opportunity to prove to her that they were worth her time. In one of her weaker moments, though, Diana had given them the time of day, and now the three were near inseparable. Diana was certain the two only continued to be her friend because of the popularity it brought them; surely it wasn't her riveting company that kept them here.

She could see the two of them wanting to complain and try and drag her off campus anyway, but after nearly four years of friendship, knew their attempts would be for naught.

"Okay," Barbara was the one to reply. "We'll see you in Lukić's then?"

Closing her eyes to make her smile seem even more sincere, Diana nodded. "Of course."

That had the two of them beaming and they retreated from the now-empty classroom in a fit of giggles. Diana just shook her head at their leave, a long-suppressed memory of a similar joy of her own surfacing and leaving a bitter taste in her mouth.

She really had been fully intent on going to the library, at the very least for the peace and quiet it brought if nothing else, yet she found herself coming to a stop in her trek across the courtyard as she saw the most peculiar sight.

A girl—who clearly didn't attend the school if her appearance was anything to go by—was coming down from one of the thickest trees on campus, the ease at which she did so impressing Diana for only a second before she tossed the thought aside in favor of snidely thinking the girl must be part monkey.

Her aunt's snark permeated her mind then as it always did, demanding she go find out what the girl was doing. After all, a Cavendish didn't attend a school overrun by hooligans.

Squaring her shoulders and brushing off any lingering traitorous thoughts—when was the last time Diana had climbed a tree?—she strode over to the ruffian.

Clearing her throat, she spoke clearly, "Don't you know it is rude to spy on others?"

Her pride flared as she saw the girl jump, and she allowed a small smirk to grace her face at the reaction. By the time the girl had actually turned to face her, however, her features were back to their stoic preset.

Although this stranger's piercing, beautiful red eyes had Diana nearly forgetting her role momentarily.

Who even had red eyes?

"Well?" Diana pressed then, hoping to get back on top of the situation.

"I- uh…" the girl mumbled, looking anywhere but Diana. "D-Don't you know it's rude to sneak up on others?"

Diana's façade gradually faltered with the return quip, her shoulders relaxing and body overall becoming less tense.

That had definitely not been the answer she had been expecting. Still, she couldn't afford to act like it had caught her off guard.

"If those others are somewhere they clearly don't belong, then I don't find it rude at all; I think it is a necessity," she replied confidently. "Now please state your business here. You obviously aren't a student."

At Diana's final words, the girl's eyes flickered with indignation—and was that a glimmer of hurt?

"Well, I'm terribly sorry my appearance offends you, Princess," the girl bit back. "Surely at a ritzy-ditzy school such as this, you've been taught to never judge a book by its cover; maybe you need to learn to apply that to real life situations."

The malice with which the girl spoke was enough for Diana to let her guard down once more, and she let her features soften just a bit.

"I apologize," she said shamefully, looking away from the girl briefly. Focusing her attention back on those peculiar rubies before her, she added, "That was a very rude thing for me to have assumed."

The brunette seemed a bit surprised at how easily Diana had handed over the reigns, as her own gaze softened before she seemed to be overcome with nerves—if the subtle pink of her cheeks was anything to go by—toeing the ground beneath them with her scuffed up sneakers.

"I mean… Y-You're right that I don't go here, but just because I'm not dressed like you shouldn't be the only reason for you to assume that."

Diana had to admit the girl was right yet again. Scowling, she berated herself for letting her aunt influence her behavior from so far away yet again.

"May I make it up to you somehow?" she asked, realizing she was having better luck in the conversation when she wasn't acting in others' best interests.

The girl seemed to ponder over something for a second before she grinned.

"Is the library here any bigger than the one in the city?"

Diana was caught off guard yet again, and for a second, she just stood there blinking at the girl before her.

"Um…" And was she really _stuttering_ now? "Do you mean bigger in size, or bigger in its expanse of books?"

The melodic giggle that flowed from the girl before her and to Diana's ears had her shivering, and she didn't even pay any heed to her aunt's voice screeching at her for the moment of weakness.

"Wouldn't a bigger building mean more books?"

The coy, playful look in those shimmering red eyes was enough to let the rest of Diana's walls come crumbling down, successfully burying her aunt's influence in the rubble. Another smirk was plastered on her face before she was even aware.

"Not necessarily," she responded with an equally joking tone. "Maybe the extra fifty square feet is just for show?"

Diana didn't even care when the girl's next bought of laughter caused her heart to flutter and her smirk to morph into an easy smile. She hadn't enjoyed talking to someone this much in forever; there was no way she was about to let this opportunity pass her by.

Her aunt be damned. It felt good to rebel again.

"At a school such as this? I wouldn't even be surprised," the girl replied.

Diana allowed herself to chuckle a bit as well, since it was true Luna Nova did like to flaunt its wealth—the large archway at the school's entrance doing just that. Still, she wasn't entirely satisfied with the girl's reason for being on a campus where she didn't belong.

"So, if you came onto campus for the library, why were you up in a tree?"

The brunette went ramrod straight at the jab, the rate at which her face became just as red as her eyes amusing to Diana.

"Um… I-I- uh…"

Seeing the girl closing in on herself, even going as far as to take a step back from Diana as if she would need to bolt any second, Diana found herself immediately wanting to put the girl back at ease.

"I didn't mean for that question to sound so accusatory, I apologize again," she explained. "While I am quite curious why you were up there—or _how_ you even got up there—I realize it's not necessarily my place to demand an answer from you."

"I just like to watch the students…" the girl mumbled so quietly Diana had to strain to understand.

"Why are the students here so much more fascinating than at your own school?"

The girl froze again, stammering out some unintelligible answer before she squeezed her eyes shut.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed almost frantically.

And then she took off. Diana had only taken one mere step forward in an attempt to stop her before the girl was gone from the vicinity.

For the second time in not even a half hour, Diana found herself blinking absently, at a complete loss for words.

She hadn't even gotten the girl's name…


	3. Chapter 3

**Wait… We've actually gotten to the new stuff? Holy cow, guys! Well, don't let me keep you, read on!**

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

Akko didn't stop running until she was back inside park boundaries. She finally allowed herself to come to a stop by the fountain at the park's center before bending over and allowing her lungs the precious air they sought.

"Shit, that was close!" she gasped as she regained her breath. She spared a look around her to make sure the girl hadn't followed her before she added somberly, "Guess I can't go back there anymore…"

The image of the girl from before traitorously flashed in Akko's mind. Her immaculate presentation, esteemed posture… She had really been the whole nine yards of perfection.

 _Of course I would have run into the queen of the school, too,_ Akko bemoaned in her head. _That's almost even worse than if it had been the principal!_

Still, she had been quite beautiful; perhaps that's why Akko had tried talking to her before her instincts kicked in and told her to run.

 _No, bad Akko! Bad thoughts!_

Still, as her heart rate returned to normal and Akko realized the crisis had truly been averted, she couldn't help but let her thoughts wander back to the girl. Particularly her bizarre behavior.

 _It was like…split personalities or something,_ Akko continued to mull over as she aimlessly began wandering through the park. _She started off so cold and closed-off, but then she was joking and teasing like she was enjoying the conversation._

Though Akko may not excel in social situations, she had mastered the art of reading people during her time on the street, and while the girl back there had been the furthest thing from an open book, it was almost like she was begging to be read.

 _Judging a book by its cover, huh…_

Before she could look any deeper into things, she caught sight of a group of girls headed her way that caused her stomach to drop.

"Oi, Akko!"

Akko gulped, fidgeting with the beanie atop her head. "H-Hey, Amanda!"

Amanda O'Neill, leader of the local 'gang' in town, the Rebels, and a small group of her members strutted up to the brunette. Akko had no doubt they were looking to get into nothing good.

"What are you doing here?" the feisty redhead asked. "Aren't you usually pining after all those schoolgirls right about now?"

Akko fumed. "I do not 'pine!'" she growled. "I just like to watch!"

Amanda scoffed. "Is _that_ what you call it? How is that any different? Or better?"

"Amanda…"

Amanda raised her hands in surrender. "Look, whatever. Was just curious why you weren't there."

Akko figured mentioning she was essentially chased off campus wouldn't help things. So instead she just weakly replied with a shrug, "I just didn't feel up to it today."

"Then would you feel up to coming to chill with us?" Amanda offered, a sly glint flashing in her eyes that had Akko slightly concerned. "We were just heading back to base. We managed to lift a Switch the other day, and Conz actually got this old bum TV working that'd been in the alley out back. Plus, there's always food and drinks."

Akko's stomach turned at the mention of 'food and drinks,' recalling the past few experiences she had had with some of Amanda's 'delicacies.'

"I… I dunno…"

Amanda just clapped a hand on Akko's back. "C'mon, dude! Look, some of your investments contributed to the tools Constanze needed to get that TV working; don't you want to see the fruit of that labor?"

Part of Akko wanted to shout at the fact that Amanda had spent her money on simple house tools, but the more compliant part of her just muttered out a "sure," before she was being nearly-forcibly led from the park.

Twenty minutes later, Akko found herself in the dank, run-down building Amanda and the Rebels called home. She was squished in between two girls on a worn down couch, a can of warm, untouched beer in her hands, and a plate of brownies that were starting to make her stomach hurt just from the smell off to the side. Amanda and another girl were on the floor in front of them playing the Switch and constantly shouting profanities at the other while trying to swat the controller out of their opposition's hands.

It wasn't Akko's definition of fun by any means, but she also had nothing better to be doing either. Somewhere deep in the back of her mind, she heard Chariot telling her to walk out and go to the library or get her guitar or something, but she must have actually drank some—or a lot—of her beer because she soon could no longer discern what the woman was rambling on about. Were all those empty cans at her feet hers?

"Akko!" Amanda's voice cut through the haze. "You're up!"

"I… I-I'm good," Akko managed to slur. "Really."

Amanda guffawed at the look on the brunette's face in that moment.

"Uh, _yeah_ you are! Dude, when was the last time you drank?"

There was no way Akko was going to remember that—or admit to it even if she could.

"Brownie?" the girl sitting beside her—Jasminka, was it?—offered, shoving the platter into her lap.

Fortunately, Akko was still sober enough to shove them away.

"I'm good," she repeated, trying to swallow back the bile that rose from the aroma. "Do you just have any…chips?"

"Wimp," Amanda sighed with a roll of her eyes while Jasminka handed Akko a bag of chips instead. "Well come on, grab another beer and come play with me. Avery apparently doesn't know her right from her left and is too easy to beat."

"Hey!" Avery barked from the other side of the room.

"You know it's true, dumbass!"

Meanwhile, Akko's head continued to throb from the heavy mixture of the drink in her stomach, the raucous banter echoing through the empty building, and the nauseating smell that now seemed to be coming from more than just the brownies.

"I think I should just g-go. I'm not feeling too well."

Concern finally seemed to find Amanda as she observed the brunette stumble to her feet.

"You need an escort home?" the redhead asked as she steadied Akko. "You know you crushed like three cans of beer, right?"

"I did?"

Amanda chuckled. "See, this is why you wouldn't last one day in this gang. You're a freakin' lightweight, dude."

Akko just mumbled something under her breath before breaking out of Amanda's hold. Slowly, she started making her way towards the exit.

"You know the World Series finals are next week!" Amanda hollered after her. "It's fifty dollars to get into the betting pool!"

Akko simply flipped her the bird before she was back out in the blinding sunlight. Grumbling as her eyes adjusted to the drastic change from dark to light, she raised a hand to massage her temple. Why did it feel like somebody had a jackhammer running in her brain?

Luckily, Akko knew she wasn't far from home; that was one good thing about hanging out with Amanda. If she had been drinking elsewhere, Akko was certain she wouldn't make it back before Finneran arrested her for public intoxication, never mind underage drinking and whatever else the spiteful cop cold stick on her.

She was still tripping over her own feet five blocks later as she turned the corner into the alley where her little hole in the wall lay. She managed to move aside the heavy wooden board she used as a door before she all but collapsed inside. Not even bothering with the door again, Akko crawled over to the mound of blankets that composed of her bed and stilled with one final groan.

"Fucking Amanda…"

At least tomorrow had to be better, right?

* * *

Tomorrow was _so_ not better.

Not only did Akko wake up with a splitting headache, but also to the sound of rain coming down in buckets outside. Akko rolled over on her bed and stared out into the alley—had she really been so plastered yesterday she hadn't even bothered closing up? She remained shocked with each day that went by and no one raided her little hidey-hole. With it being uncovered all night with her inside, she was almost _asking_ to be mugged. After all, it wasn't like she could have found a spot like this on the _nice_ side of town…

 _Yet another instance reaffirming that Amanda is a horrible influence,_ Akko chided herself. _Underage drinking, reckless endangerment… Gotta make a mental note_ not _to take part in that little betting pool of hers; no matter what she promises me._

When a crack of thunder had Akko's head ringing in response, she winced before beginning to shuffle through her miscellaneous collectibles, hoping she had something for a headache left somewhere. When her search turned up fruitless, she huffed, adding some ibuprofen to her list of necessities for the day.

Next, she reached to the bottom of her pile of blankets for a plastic baggie that contained her 'emergency funds:' a hefty ten dollars and forty-seven cents. Nabbing five dollars from the stash, she figured that should be enough for a small bottle of medicine and some protein bar of some sort. At least her hangover was keeping her from feeling the effect of skipping every meal yesterday.

Even starving, Akko knew better than to accept Amanda's special brownies. She still had nightmares about being on Chariot and Croix's couch and puking up her guts. It was not a pleasant experience, but at least it made the older women relieved that if Akko couldn't handle a simple edible, there was no way she would turn to the harder stuff on the streets.

Akko shuddered just at the thought of what possibilities were out there.

By the time noon rolled around, Akko's headache still lingered, souring her mood and expelling any motivation to get into some kind of mischief. Even the fact that she hadn't had enough money to buy herself something to eat—relief from her hangover had prevailed over the unappealing selection of granola bars the small convenience store had on display—was dispelled from her mind in favor of continuing to curse Amanda's name for everything she was worth.

Grumbling, Akko fiddled with the measly thirty-seven cents she had left in her hoodie pocket as she followed a familiar route down the sidewalk. Still a bit rattled from being caught yesterday at Luna Nova, she didn't dare head back there so soon. Instead, she turned a corner and came face to face with yet another large building and expanse of space before her.

The public library.

Akko hurried inside and immediately felt at ease, her headache even seeming to finally subside a bit. Whether it was the medicine finally kicking in, or the library's magical powers, Akko didn't question.

Perhaps a library was an unusual place for 'someone like her' to find solace in, but Akko didn't care what people thought here. Unlike her trespassing on Luna Nova property, the library was a public space. They had to open their doors to people of every background. But more than that, the library was a place where Akko could momentarily forget her situation. Here, she could be anything she wanted, depending on what book she picked up. She didn't have to be the homeless girl with nothing going for her; she could be a magnificent witch, surprising all with her own magical prowess, she could fall in love, she could solve crimes, or she could just do simple research and truly feel like what she assumed a normal girl her age would.

Plus, on a rainy day such as this, what better way was there to pass the time than curled up with a good book?

Perusing the aisles of novels, Akko decided she was in a science fiction mood today and picked the first interesting title at random before retreating to her favorite chair in a secluded corner. Tucking her legs up under her, Akko opened to the first page and was immediately sucked into the book's world…

* * *

"Miss?"

Akko opened bleary eyes to see an elderly woman in front of her.

The woman smiled before saying politely, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave. It's time for me to close up."

Akko looked at the book in her lap and cringed when she noticed she had only managed ten pages before falling asleep.

So maybe she hadn't been as absorbed in this particular book as she was with others…

"Uh, sorry," she mumbled sheepishly. "I'll just put this back and get out of your hair."

Scurrying away, Akko quickly put the book back on its rightful shelf before she was back out on the front stairs of the library.

And the rain was still coming down. Akko huffed.

Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the library closed at 6pm, so it must be just a bit after that, Akko deduced. Still early, and with her sudden nap minutes ago, she wasn't quite ready to just pass the rest of the day away tossing in turning in her bed.

When her stomach growled, Akko sighed. At least she had something to do now. Marking her next destination as the park—as the many food vendors there were easy to nab a bite from should she desire—Akko pulled her hood up over her beanie and set off.

It was times like these, walking in the rain and trying to figure out what to do for dinner that night, when Akko's desire for companionship swelled to the point that she wanted to cry. This would be the perfect weather to just be able to lounge about the house all day with a friend, not spending it alone asleep in a desolate corner of the library. This would be the perfect time to order some food and then get wrapped up in a movie with someone, not mull over which store on the block you hadn't stolen from in the longest time. Even when feeling down such as she did currently, having someone by your side to help cheer you up, or even just stew under a dark cloud of their own would be better than facing it alone, right? But who would want to hang out with her? What did she bring to the table that would be incentive enough for someone to befriend her?

Akko grit her teeth as her thoughts headed south, and with nothing around to help distract her, she continued to stomp down the streets, her own raincloud hovering over her and doing more damage than Mother Nature could herself.

Her saving grace, however, came in the form of one slow wail of a siren.

Looking up from the wet ground below her, Akko's spirits immediately began to lift as they always did.

"Officer du Nord! Croix!"

Then, just like always, the fact that she was so excited to see two cops infiltrated her mind and she was overcome with a bout of nerves.

"Wait… Am I in trouble again? I haven't even done anything bad today, I swear!"

Chariot chuckled softly as she got out of the car, while Croix hung back with a roll of her eyes.

"No, Akko, you haven't done anything wrong…"

"That we know of!"

Chariot huffed as Akko giggled before continuing, "We were just on patrol when we saw you wandering around."

"More like sulking," Croix butted in once more as she stepped up beside her partner. "Seriously, I know it's raining, but you look even gloomier than the sky."

Akko retaliated with her own roll of her eyes. "Look, I just had a bad day yesterday, okay? I guess my crap mood just carried over to today too."

"How was it a bad day?" Chariot asked, concern instantly showing on her face.

Akko couldn't help but smile at the officer's worry. "Nothing bad enough to worry about, Officer du Nord, I promise."

Chariot didn't seem too convinced, but allowed the matter to be dropped all the same.

"Well, we're glad we caught you all the same," she said next. "We…wanted to invite you over to our place tonight. For dinner, o-or just to hang out."

"And before you try and worm your way out of this one," Croix spoke as soon as Akko opened her mouth to respond, and no doubt to decline, "we _insist_. In fact, I'm quite happy to cuff you and drag you home with us if it comes to that."

"Croix…" Chariot whined.

"What?" the taller woman shrugged. "You said yourself we weren't going to let her talk us out of it this time. I figured we'd make sure she knows we're serious."

"What's the occasion?" Akko asked. "It's not a holiday or anything."

"What, you mean we have to have a reason to see our favorite little delinquent?" Croix retorted. "C'mon, there's free, hot food that's been cooked with love and care, a hot shower and fresh clothes, and I can even drag the old Nintendo out if it'll get you to come."

Akko looked to the ground and bit her lip. She really did hate when Chariot and Croix doted on her like this. Coming over for a holiday was one thing, but for no reason? She didn't deserve it.

Still, as she looked up at Chariot, looking so pitiful and pleading with her eyes, and Croix who was impatiently beckoning her over with her hand, yet still held on to a caring devotion in her eyes, Akko found it harder and harder to say no.

She had been feeling awful down today, maybe this was exactly what she needed to get her back on her feet.

Sending a grateful smile to her friends, Akko nodded with a happy sigh of, "Okay."

* * *

A little over two hours later, Akko found herself on a familiar couch and quite literally butting heads with Croix, N64 controller gripped tightly in her grasp. Her stomach was full, she was fresh out of the shower, and Chariot was even washing her clothes for her. Even though Akko was intimately focused on demolishing Croix in another round of Mortal Kombat, deep down, she felt at peace, an even deeper sense of peace than she could ever hope to find at the library, in the park, or even back in her own 'home.' She knew she always put up a fight coming over, but man did she love it.

It made her feel like she actually had a family.

"God damn, girl!" Croix's shout had Akko grinning triumphantly. "Stopping ripping my guts out!"

"Are you kidding?" she retorted. "That's the best part of the game!"

"Can't you two play something more wholesome?" Chariot piped up uncomfortably from the kitchen where she was still cleaning up.

Croix chuckled. "Yes, mother."

Akko laughed along with her before they gave Chariot a much-needed break of brutality.

"What do you want to play next, kid?" the lilac-haired woman asked as she walked into the kitchen herself to replenish her and Akko's drinks.

Akko shrugged. "I dunno. You pick."

"We could always watch a movie," Chariot suggested then as she came to stand behind the couch, hands on her waist in a very mother-like posture.

"Pft, I know that trick," Akko said. "You just want to watch a movie because you know I'll likely fall asleep in the middle of it, and then you _really_ won't let me leave."

Chariot simply sighed, Akko having seen through her plans as she always did.

"You know we don't mind you spending the night, Akko."

The mirth dimmed in Akko's eyes for a moment as she shrugged, her fingers fiddling with the buttons on the controller.

"I know," she muttered. "But you all do so much for me already—cooking me dinner, letting me shower, even washing my clothes? I just…feel like a burden."

"Oh, Akko," Chariot cooed, coming to squat before the girl, hand coming to cup her cheek fondly. "Please don't think that. You're the furthest thing from a burden."

"Yeah, kiddo," Croix added, placing her own hand on Akko's back in hopes to soothe. "Why do you think that?"

"I dunno," Akko responded weakly with a small shrug. "'Cause it's something I can't return? Like, forget making dinner for you all in return, I can't even afford to take you guys to McDonald's or something…"

"Seeing you smile is all the payment we need, Akko," Chariot told her with conviction. "Please believe that. We never expect anything in return."

"We don't ever mean to make you feel bad about it either," Croix said. "If you truly want us to back off for a bit, we will, but never think that we're going out of our way for you." Smirking, and trying to get things back on track, she added, "It's not like we invite all the little derelicts we know into our home."

"But why me?" She looked up at them both imploringly. "I'm nothing special."

"I'm going to ignore that last part," Chariot said firmly, her eyes narrowing briefly at Akko's self-deprecating tone. "But, we honestly don't have an answer for you. There's just something about you that we want to protect."

"Did you guys…ever consider having kids?" Akko asked then, looking up meekly and hoping she wasn't crossing any lines.

She saw Chariot and Croix glance at the other for just a second before Chariot finally stood, taking Croix's hand and smiling lovingly down at the girl before them.

"We did, but…"

"…now we have you."

Akko ended up spending the night that night, having come completely undone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Ugh, sorry for the month delay, guys. (And after I was doing so well, too...) I quit my job, started a new one, and moved in with a roommate for the first time all within the span of just a week and a half, so that was exhausting. Then I stumbled across The Dragon Prince on Netflix and yeah... There might have been a few embarrassing nights where I watched all the episodes back to back twice... It's really good, okay?**

 **Anyway, let's hope things settle down for a bit and I can crank out these chapters like I was before. I do have the entire story mapped out now, so that's something! I think you all are gonna like what I have in store.**

 **Song credits down at the bottom.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

"Come _on_ , Diana! It's _Saturday_!"

Diana cringed at the whine from the other end of her phone, pulling the device away from her ear to preserve her hearing.

"Yeah, Diana! You can't seriously tell us you plan to spend the entire, _gorgeous_ day inside?!"

The blonde huffed away from the phone so Hannah and Barbara wouldn't hear. Despite how exasperated she was with their constant poking and prodding into her life—always trying to get her to tag along with them to gods know where—she did recognize they really just cared a lot about her, and that's why they were so persistent.

Then again, why couldn't she just spend a Saturday indoors?

"Look, girls, I appreciate the offer, but I'm just not feeling up to it," she replied as kindly as she could. "Maybe we can get together to do the last of our schoolwork tomorrow night or something, but I have a few things I'd like to do on my own, okay?"

Silence permeated the line then, and Diana could just picture the two looking to each other in disappointment. Diana would have laughed at the mental image if she hadn't been the cause of it.

"Okay…" Hannah finally mumbled. "Just…don't work yourself too hard?"

Diana scoffed, her usual substitute for a laugh, and rolled her eyes.

"And just what gives you the idea that I'll be spending the weekend working? I have plenty of ways to entertain myself that don't include any schoolwork."

"Yeah, but we know you," Barbara piped up. "If your aunt doesn't drag you into anything, you'll just stay in your room all day to avoid her, right?"

Diana sighed; these girls really did know her too well.

"Look, girls, I appreciate the concern, and I promise I'll take care of myself. If it makes you feel any better, I won't even touch my schoolwork until Sunday night. Then we can get together and you can see for yourselves that I'm telling the truth."

That seemed to placate them as Hannah, Barbara and Diana then decided to meet at Barbara's house at six o' clock Sunday evening. As Diana ended the call, she realized she really just signed her Saturday away, as she had been expecting to do her schoolwork just as her friends had guessed.

At least her aunt and cousins weren't around today. The best thing about Saturdays—aside from the lack of school, as surprising as that may be to hear from Diana—was the fact that Daryl and her daughters were always away from the house all day. Diana didn't know where they got off to, but after so many years, she didn't even care anymore.

Deciding she didn't have to hide away in her room all day, Diana decided an undisturbed breakfast would be a nice way to start the day. After glancing out her bedroom window, she saw the sun was shining and it looked to be a relatively warm, gorgeous spring day, just like Hannah had said. She would definitely have to make the most of the weather, so she quickly threw on the most casual outfit she could find.

As she finished her ponytail in the mirror, she grinned at her appearance. Daryl would no doubt give her quite the verbal and physical lashing if she were to see Diana dressed this way. She realized then that this outfit had been the star of her 'rebellious' years, so it was no wonder Daryl detested it so.

It was just a simple blue and purple plaid button up atop a white t-shirt, a pair of light blue skinny jeans, and white flats, but it was simply too 'common' for a girl of her status to be wearing.

Or so Daryl would screech.

It was comfy. It was the weekend. It was Diana's life.

The latter of which she was finally beginning to understand fully.

Giving her reflection one final nod in satisfaction, Diana grabbed her purse and headed downstairs. She could feel the surprised stares from her staff, and that only further spurred Diana on, giving her an air of confidence—and even superiority—she hadn't felt in a long time.

"M-Milady!" her personal maid, and head maid of the entire staff, Anna, gasped in equal shock as Diana walked into the dining room. "Your outfit!"

Diana simply raised a brow at the older woman's cry, waiting to see what else she was going to say.

"You… You look lovely, milady," Anna finally stated with a warm smile. "As a girl your age should."

"I figured I should take advantage of Aunt Daryl being away," Diana responded with a small chuckle as she sat down at the table, Anna immediately gesturing for the staff to bring out breakfast.

"I was hoping you would grace us with your presence," Anna said as she came to stand on the opposite side of the table Diana had sat down at. "I know Lady Daryl's tendencies, but it's not healthy for you to keep yourself locked away in your room. If you truly do want to usurp this family from under Daryl, you need to start conjuring a strong presence. Show the Lady that strength I and the other staff know you possess."

"I know, Anna," Diana sighed, looking down at the table in an almost ashamed manner. "Sometimes I get that surge of confidence and anger I need to be stronger, but then I just remember my past attempts and I retreat. Dressing like this is still all I can manage to rebel."

"Well, we know how effective this method is," Anna said with a wink. "I think Lady Daryl nearly went into cardiac arrest that one time you wore shorts when you were fifteen."

Diana laughed along with her maid. "Yes, her expression was certainly reward enough."

Smile fading somewhat, Anna crossed her hands before her. "Diana," she spoke softly, and Diana knew Anna only used her actual name on rare occasions, "you do know all the staff here feel your pain and share your desire to remove Lady Daryl from the picture, not just me. You have all of our support. You are the true heir to this family."

"I know," Diana assured her with a small smile. "I'm… I just don't know what more I can do sometimes."

"We can perhaps discuss some methods together at a later time," Anna said. "For now, enjoy your breakfast and take a day to yourself."

"Thank you, Anna."

The woman bowed before retreating with another, "Milady."

Diana poked at her breakfast as she mulled over Anna's words. She knew the woman was right. She couldn't continue to let Daryl tarnish the Cavendish name or run her family's image into the ground, yet she hadn't been lying when she said she was at a loss of what she could possibly do to fight back. Diana was certain there was more to her mother and father's wills, but of course Daryl kept those under careful lock and key, only furthering Diana's suspicions.

Even on a day such as this, when she knew without a doubt that her aunt and cousins wouldn't return until late in the evening, she didn't dare enter her aunt's bedroom or study. Her past experiences had molded her well, and some instances even still haunted her in her dreams.

Diana finished her breakfast in silence—which was honestly a welcome relief from any degrading comments Daryl usually subjected her to at meals—and soon she found herself in the backseat of her personal driver's Escalade.

"Where are you off to, miss?" the driver, an older man named Hank, asked pleasantly.

"Let's say the Wednesday Café, Hank," Diana replied with a smile. Sure, she may have just eaten, but she could always go for another cup of coffee.

A quick fifteen minute drive, and soon Diana was stepping out of the car, telling Hank she would call when she wished to return home. She didn't want the man waiting around for her when she had no schedule to adhere to.

The bell above the café door chimed as Diana walked in, and immediately the wonderful aroma of coffee and pastries hit her. She couldn't hold back a smile and pleasant sigh. This was one of her favorite places downtown; her safe haven when things became too much at home and even her bedroom was no longer her own.

"Hello, Diana!" a freckled girl greeted from behind the counter.

"Hello, Lotte," Diana replied as she stepped up to the counter, easy smile still in place. "Let's just go with a dark roast today."

"Okay! Sucy!"

"I heard, I heard…" the pink-haired girl down the line mumbled. "Don't have a cow."

Lotte just sighed, used to her coworker's drab behavior as Diana allowed herself a chuckle.

"So how are classes going?" Lotte asked as she rang the blonde up.

While Lotte and Sucy both attended Luna Nova with Diana, they were a year behind and had never shared any classes with her. Still, they knew her reputation simply by word of mouth; everyone did.

"They are going well, thank you. I have already begun preparing study material for my finals."

"Only you would do so with a good three months still left in the semester," Sucy said dryly, though with a smirk. Diana was fairly used to her teasing.

"Yes, well, you can never be too prepared," she retorted, the small twinkle in her eyes the only indication she had taken Sucy's bait.

"And _that's_ something only you would say…"

Diana's lips twitched, Sucy's mirroring her seconds later.

"Touché." Then, with a small scoff of a laugh, Diana took her drink and headed for the door. "I'll see you guys."

She stood outside the café briefly as she planned her next move. This freedom was so rare for her to come by that she almost didn't know what to do with it. Following a set schedule day in and day out, being a mere puppet for someone else's show, the agency she now found herself with was humbling.

Deciding on a stroll in the park, Diana sipped her coffee as she crossed the street. She had no destination in mind, but with the weather this nice so early in the year, she wasn't heading home anytime soon.

What she didn't expect, however, was to start hearing music the deeper into the park she went.

The upbeat, lively tune piqued her curiosity and Diana found herself being pulled along by the melody. Rounding a few trees led her to a large open, circular plaza, a magnificent fountain in its center. Diana had honestly never been to this part of the park, and she couldn't help but fall still and admire the scenery and sense of peace that pulsed through the area.

It was then her eyes zeroed in on the single girl sitting on the edge of said fountain, strumming a guitar amongst all the people milling about—joggers going by, people walking their dogs, kids throwing coins in the water. A simple jar sat at her feet, should anyone be feeling generous, no doubt. She had obviously scouted the place earlier or was a regular to this area, as it was obvious she had picked prime real estate.

A small smile formed on Diana's face as she continued to listen to the music. The girl was very good, though her guitar did sound a bit off.

It was only under closer scrutiny that Diana recognized the girl.

Burgundy hoodie, gray beanie...

"The girl in the tree," Diana spoke under her breath.

Butterflies took flight in her stomach as she fought with herself over whether to approach or not. What was she supposed to say? Demand why she had been on campus the other day? _That_ would go well... Still, Diana couldn't deny there was something about the girl that lured her in along with her haunting melody.

She chewed on her bottom lip, her hands clenching around the coffee still in her hands. She found herself having to muster up some courage before taking a tentative step, her mind still roaring with possible things to say.

In her approach, she realized that not only was this girl simply playing guitar, she was singing too, the lyrics becoming clear the closer she got. Diana gulped as the fluttering in her gut increased.

She was really good...

 _"...And I, I want you to know_

 _Everyone's got to face down their demons_

 _Maybe today_

 _We can put the past away._

 _I wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend_

 _You could cut ties with all the lies_

 _That you've been living in_

 _And if you do not want to see me again_

 _I would understand_

 _I would understand_

 _I would understand..."_

As the girl finished the song, she looked up at Diana now standing before her, those red eyes captivating the blonde once again. Recognition quickly dawned on the girl's face as well as those eyes quickly widened and she went rigid, her knuckles white on the stalk of her guitar.

"You..." she said on a breath.

Diana's brain flatlined and she said the first thing that came to mind.

"Your guitar needs to be tuned."

The familiar spark of indignation that set those rubies ablaze told Diana she had said the wrong thing once again.

"If I'm that bad then just walk away," the girl scoffed, looking away with a pout.

"I never said you were bad," Diana tried again. "I...quite enjoyed it actually. Did you write that yourself?"

Now the girl was laughing and Diana was confused.

"What, you've never heard of Third Eye Blind before?"

Diana shook her head, an embarrassed flush coloring her face as she mumbled, "I grew up on classical music."

The girl chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Of course you did."

Diana cocked her head then, not truly understanding the implication. The girl blushed.

"I-It's nothing," she quickly cast aside. "Was there...anything you wanted?"

Diana looked at the ground briefly before fully committing.

"I realize I never got your name last time. If we're to keep seeing each other like this, I suppose we should know at least that about the other, right?"

The girl blinked at her briefly before uttering, "I-I'm Akko."

Diana smiled then and replied, "It's nice to meet you, Akko. My name is Diana."

She saw the girl mouth the word "pretty" before the both of them were wearing identical blushes. Akko, noticing Diana saw what she had just done, nervously cleared her throat, her eyes now looking anywhere but her.

"I-I mean... Do you want to make a request?"

Akko gestured at her guitar and Diana's smile returned at the kind offer. There was no doubt, however, that anything she chose, Akko for sure wouldn't know. Instead, she indicated if she could join the brunette on the lip of the fountain. Akko was blushing curiously again as she shuffled over quickly to make room.

"Surprise me," she finally requested with a small shrug.

 _That_ was the right thing to say finally as Akko's face lit up in a blinding smile, Diana finding its warmth even reaching her heart and causing it to tingle.

"Okay."

Diana can't say she had planned to spend her afternoon listening to a near-stranger play in the park, but it would be a lie to say she didn't enjoy it as much—and probably more, if she were honest—as anything else she could have done that day.

* * *

 _"...So hold on, 'cause the tide is strong_

 _They can't erase the fire in our eyes_

 _Let the walls break_

 _What we have they cannot take_

 _And if all that's left is you and me tonight_

 _No they won't take us alive_

 _And if all that's left is you and me tonight_

 _No they won't take us alive."_

As the final notes of Akko's latest song faded away, Diana opened her eyes—wait, when had she even shut them?

"I thought you had fallen asleep on me," Akko said with a small, nervous laugh.

"Not at all," Diana tried to reassure her—seriously, how long had they been closed? "I was simply immersed in the song is all. You really do have a gift for this; especially now that you've tuned that guitar."

Akko flushed with embarrassment, whether from the praise or the jab, Diana wasn't sure.

"It's really just a hobby," the brunette mumbled.

Diana's eyes widened. "You mean you're self taught?"

Akko's cheeks quickly matched her eyes in color.

"Y-Yeah..."

They both fell silent then and Diana's anxiety started to rise. This was what she didn't want to happen, these miles of silence to separate them. But what did she say next? She really was amazed Akko seemed to have no professional training, but she also didn't want to further embarrass the girl, nor did she want to seem too...obsessed?

Diana huffed internally. This was why she didn't have more than two friends.

Choosing to instead watch the girl reach down for the jar at her feet, Diana figured that was a good alternative. The smile that kept blooming on the brunette's face was mesmerizing.

"I made almost ten bucks!"

Diana had never heard someone so happy over a mere ten dollars, but the girl's elation was contagious.

"That's great, Akko," she replied with a laugh.

Akko turned to her, still beaming, though she looked like she had something she wanted to say. Eyes flickering every which way, she eventually seemed to lose confidence as she instead looked at the wad of cash in her hands and whispered, "Thanks."

Another beat of silence.

"Do you play here often?" Diana asked, honestly simply trying to stall and keep the conversation going. She was enjoying this interaction as much as she had enjoyed their first and found she didn't want her and Akko to depart quite yet.

Luckily, Akko didn't seem to mind.

"Kinda," she said with a casual shrug. "It definitely gives me the biggest audience. I get chased away if I sit outside someone's shop or something."

"What about playing in the subway?"

"The subway creeps me out..."

They both dissolved into a fit of giggles then.

"I don't like the subway either," Diana told her conspiratorially.

"Yeah, don't you have like your own personal limo or something?"

That gave Diana pause and she cocked her head once more.

"What do you mean?"

Akko's face flared yet again as she floundered for words. "L-Like...you just...radiate this lavish lifestyle, I guess? It's not a bad thing! But you just seemed kinda...haughty when we first met, but today you're nothing like that, but there's still this air about you that makes me feel so inferior."

Diana looked away. "I... I won't lie; I do come from quite a wealthy background, but please don't think you're beneath me in any way, Akko."

Something dark flashed only for a second in the brunette's eyes then, but Diana saw it.

"Yeah, sure..." she mumbled. Then, with a shake of her head, she did a complete one-eighty and beamed once more. "Now you gotta promise to come watch me play again, you know!"

Diana hesitated to respond for a second, still caught off guard by that look Akko had tried to hide. It seemed so...empty, hate-filled; not towards Diana, but towards Akko herself. It made Diana's stomach twist into a knot, but she knew better than to breach the subject now.

"Well, I do frequent a café that is nearby, so you may see me around," she finally replied with another gentle smile, hoping to keep the girl at ease.

"Really?!"

Diana felt herself laughing once more and basked in the feeling. This was great; exactly what she desired when she was brooding in her room or burying herself in her schoolwork. She didn't know what about Akko made being her true self so much easier, but if Akko was excited to keep her around, Diana definitely wasn't going to stay away.

"Really, Akko."

Red bore into blue as smiles mirrored each other, and in that moment, a special kind of bond was formed.

* * *

 **First song: "Jumper" – Third Eye Blind**

 **Second song: "Alive" – Arrows to Athens**


	5. Chapter 5

**Looks like even after a year away, I'm still not able to write longer chapters... Ugh.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five**

Despite her best efforts, sleep did not come easy for Akko that night. She found herself tossing and turning consistently even though it wasn't a matter of getting comfortable; it was more like she couldn't shut off her brain. All it would do whenever she closed her eyes was replay the day's events over and over and over again, focusing on one specific aspect.

The girl.

 _Diana_ , Akko reminded herself with a small smile. _Her name's Diana_.

Ever since they had parted ways hours ago, Akko couldn't get her out of her head. Despite having interacted twice now with each other, Akko felt like she only had more questions regarding the blonde, not answers. Like before, she had started off cold and closed off, like she was on guard about something, the first thing out of her mouth being something negatively critical of Akko. Then, the switch was flipped yet again and she was apologizing, immediately trying to make up for her snide remarks.

Akko smirked, rolling onto her back. She was almost as bad with people as Akko was herself.

Maybe that's why she wouldn't get out of her head?

It was a bit embarrassing, really, Akko had concluded when she had first lay down for bed, how she couldn't stop thinking about Diana. They were still mere strangers to the other, or perhaps acquaintances at best now, if she was being optimistic. Still, that didn't warrant someone plaguing your thoughts at night and keeping you from sleep.

 _I guess I just need to find out more about her then,_ Akko rationalized, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to recall details about the girl. _I guess for now I can just leave it as her being the first person to give me the time of day that's not Chariot or Croix; that's why I'm so fixated on her. She could potentially be the first friend I make my own age!_

That final thought had Akko's heart thumping from excited anticipation only briefly before it deflated as she realized something horrible.

Tomorrow was Sunday. Akko doubted she would just conveniently see Diana on a whim in the middle of downtown, and school wouldn't be in session, keeping Akko from 'running into her' on Luna Nova's campus for at least another day.

Huffing, Akko rolled onto her side, pouting at the far wall of her dwellings.

Well, maybe she could use the day to her advantage somehow anyway? If she wanted to become friends with Diana, they needed to have things in common, right? Besides being socially inept, that is.

Akko roved her eyes over her few belongings before they finally settled on her guitar. She grinned.

It had been music that had brought them together today, wasn't it? And it was knowledge that had been at play the first time. Perhaps a clever combination of the two would be enough to win over Diana's friendship.

 _"I grew up on classical music."_

Akko grinned. "Bingo," she whispered, her mind already at work with the perfect plan as she curled up tight in her bed.

Tomorrow's day was now booked.

* * *

Akko had risen bright and early the next morning, despite her restless night. She quickly straightened up her things before grabbing her guitar and darting outside. In no time, she found herself back outside the public library's doors, only this time they were locked.

In her haste, she had arrived two hours before the library actually opened.

 _Stupid Sunday hours..._ Akko grumbled as she retreated to a nearby patio area and sat down at a table.

Figuring she should make the best of her spare time, Akko went over the plan in her head. It was quite simple on the outside; all she was going to do was impress Diana by playing some classical piece on her guitar. The kicker, however, was that Akko didn't know a single musical number or composer of the classical genre. She was able to recognize the genre when hearing it, but beyond that...

Beethoven didn't play the guitar, did he?

She huffed and chastised herself internally. No, Beethoven was the piano guy; Mozart was the one who played guitar.

Right?

"Ugh, maybe this plan was doomed to fail from the beginning," Akko bemoaned out loud.

Still, she was resolute in her ways, and so she waited diligently for the library to open. As soon as she knew it was noon, Akko rushed inside.

"Uh, do you all have a music section?" she asked the librarian behind the front desk, the same lady that had politely asked her to leave on her last visit here. Akko hoped she didn't recognize her.

"Down the stairs to your right," the older woman replied with a kind smile, making no indication she remembered Akko in any way. "Any literature and sheet music for the guitar will be to the left of the statue."

Akko very nearly asked the lady how she knew she was looking for books related to the guitar before she remembered the familiar feeling of the instrument against her back. She had to keep herself from face palming in front of the woman.

 _Damn it, Akko, get ahold of yourself_.

She retreated with a sheepish smile and turned right at the end of the desk, taking the three steps down in a single jump. Before her was an abstract structure Akko assumed must be the statue. Sure enough, as she looked to her left she faced a bookshelf with a sign that said **Guitar** hanging from the ceiling above it. Glancing around, she saw signs for the piano, percussion, woodwinds, and even a few instruments she didn't recognize.

Akko remembered the librarian mention sheet music, and so she immediately started her search there. Luckily, the composition books were even organized by genre. Pulling a book at random simply because she liked the art on the front, Akko started flipping through the pages of the book to see if anything inside stuck out at her.

 _Why are all these songs so fast?!_ Akko balked, her mind trying and failing to follow the notes on the pages before her. _There's no way I can learn these fast enough!_

Finally, on the last piece in the book, she stopped. At last, there was a form she could understand, a melody she could hear in her head, scales and keys she was familiar with. It, in a sense, was perfect. Akko could already hear the composition in her head, and it was beautiful; maybe she could make it even more so.

 _A beautiful song for a beautiful girl_ , Akko thought with a shy smile, heat rising to her cheeks that she didn't have to worry about suppressing for once.

She dog-eared the page and closed the book, staring at the cover and sighing. She felt bad for having to steal the book, but she had no way of obtaining a library card. She didn't have any kind of photo ID, nor did she even have a valid address, let alone the money should it cost anything.

A large cloud of guilt settled in her gut as she looked around to make sure no one was looking before taking her guitar from her back. Luckily, the book was thin, but unfortunately still thick enough that it wouldn't roll up well. Shoving it inside her guitar wasn't going to work.

Guess it was the old 'tuck and run.' At least the strap of her guitar would help keep the book from sliding out of her hoodie a bit. Still, as Akko hustled past the front desk, she crossed an arm over her stomach to grab her other arm, hoping the pose would make it seem as if she was disappointed she couldn't find what she had hoped. As soon as she was outside, however, she pulled the book out and grinned.

Step one was complete.

For step two, she decided to just head home to learn the piece. She wouldn't be disturbed, and she wouldn't annoy anyone while she was sure to make dozens of mistakes.

And that's how Akko spent the rest of her day, playing her guitar in some dingy hole in the wall. She sat right outside during the daylight hours so she could use the natural light before retreating in and practicing by flashlight for the rest of the evening. It wasn't the most luxurious way to spend a Sunday, but the music helped to ease her mind.

Akko decided she could cut Diana a break for only knowing classical music. She was slowly becoming a fan herself.

By the time she retired for the night, Akko had a good handle on the composition. She wasn't perfect by any means, and the unfamiliarity of it all didn't make it come as easy as the standard modern music she played. Still, she forced herself to think positive; it would definitely still catch Diana's attention.

She allowed herself to sleep in a bit the next day to recuperate from the day prior. Plus, it wasn't like she was going to go drag Diana out of Luna Nova. Even if she didn't get tackled by security, Diana would surely not approve of her interrupting her studies.

No, she would just have to wait until school let out.

Luckily, she knew from all her trips on campus that classes ended at 3pm. Still having several hours to kill, Akko decided snagging a bite to eat wouldn't hurt.

Maybe food would help to calm these annoying butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Akko casually made her way down the busy streets, guitar on her back once again. She had grabbed the ten dollars she had made the other day on her way out, just in case she did end up getting caught shoplifting. She entered a gas station and began casually walking the aisles. Despite being high noon, the small mart was deserted, the man behind the counter seeming to be taking stock of the cigarettes behind the desk. Akko grinned. What luck.

Still keeping an eye out for cameras, she came to the rows of chips and protein bars. Feeling slightly emboldened at the lack of people around, Akko picked up a bag pretzels and a chocolate breakfast bar. She tried not to look back at the camera to avoid being obvious, and was able to see its position out of her peripherals. Angling herself just right that it would appear she was just putting the items back, Akko moved each to the shelf before quickly depositing them in her waiting hand in her hoodie pocket. She was lucky her hoodie was a bit too big for her, as the bag of pretzels wasn't as noticeable as it would be if she actually had clothes that fit her.

She approached the counter casually, though when she saw the man still with his back to her, she quickly shuffled the rest of the way out. Once she turned a corner, she burst out laughing; it was always such a high lifting things. Although part of her did always feel some kind of guilt afterwards, her overwhelming hunger had the shame retreating to the far reaches of her mind.

Munching on her rewards, Akko decided to go ahead and get to Luna Nova. She wanted to be there before classes let out, and she could always spend the time meanwhile practicing even more.

It was only as the school's large arch started looming in the distance did Akko hesitate.

Was she really doing this? Did she really think it was going to work? Were all the other students really just going to stroll on by and ignore her, rather than shoo her filth away from their pristine campus?

 _Ugh, whatever,_ she grumbled internally when she started to get a headache. _I live life on the edge enough already, what's a little more?_

It was with that mentality that Akko plopped herself down right outside the archway, leaning back against the cool brick of the structure. Settling in, Akko took in a deep breath and began to play.

The time passed fast enough, and eventually the chime of the campus' clock tower signaled the end of the day. This was it; show time.

She started the song from the beginning, putting all her focus into the melody as she played from memory, trying to put on her best performance. So engulfed in the music was she that she didn't pay attention to the girls walking past her. Most either paid her no mind or simply glanced at her curiously. Only a few scowled or looked turned off by her presence.

Then...

"Akko?"

Startled, the chord Akko had been going into ended up a lackluster twang as she whipped her head up.

Her heart immediately leapt to her throat.

"Uh, heh... Hey, Diana?"

Was that a smile on her face? Akko's heart started beating so erratically it was creating a song all its own.

"That's Isaac Albéniz's _Tango in D_ , is it not?" she asked, and Akko knew she had the blonde's full attention.

 _Crap... No, wait! Yay!_

"Uh, y-yeah, it is!" she replied confidently even with her stutter. She had made sure to memorize the name of the piece and composer almost more than the music itself, and had almost even gone as far as write it on her hand.

If she had found a pen or marker, that is...

Diana took a step closer to let the rest of her classmates pass by more easily. Her smile turned more into a smirk as she continued to look down at Akko.

"And here I was certain you wouldn't know any classical music."

"I'm...full of surprises?"

The laugh that fluttered to Akko's ears then nearly made her shudder.

"That is quite a beautiful piece, not to mention a standard with the guitar," Diana continued with poise. "You are certainly doing it justice."

Akko's smile was so big by now she was sure her face would crack any second. Although, Diana's looked nearly equally as large, and even though her elegant, structured behavior and attitude seemed present once again, Akko was certain she could get those walls to come down once more.

"It probably helps that I remembered to tune the guitar this time," she quipped with a nervous chuckle.

Another small laugh came from Diana, and another crack in the dam was formed.

"Indeed."

As another silence settled between them, Akko bit her lip. She had been so focused on _this_ part of the plan that she had never thought about what to do next. She had caught Diana's attention again, but how did she hold it?

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"Are you hungry?"

A beat.

"Wait, what?"

"Pardon?"

Blushes of equal ferocity were flaring on both of their cheeks by now, but the embarrassment was minimal as they began laughing instead.

"Sorry," Akko giggled, able to compose herself faster. "What did you say?"

Diana's blush only grew as she looked to her hands twisting before her.

"I was asking if you were hungry," she nearly mumbled, the crack having spread and letting her true self spill forth. "I studied through my lunch period, and there is this really nice café right outside the park."

"The one you said you go to all the time?"

Another smile tugged at the corner of Diana's lips. "The very same."

Even though Akko had actually eaten just a few hours ago, there was no way she was about to turn down this opportunity. Diana was actually asking her to accompany her somewhere?

 _This is going_ so _much better than I thought it would!_ she squealed, barely able to keep her glee inside.

Quickly hurrying to her feet, Akko swung her guitar onto her back before beaming at Diana.

"Lead the way!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Diana's hands were trembling as she led Akko down one of the many downtown sidewalks. She was thankful for the small distance between Luna Nova's campus and their destination, for it gave her time think. The girl beside her was quiet as well, looking down at her feet with a studious look Diana was sure matched her own.

She wasn't regretting her offer at all, no; rather, she was just surprised she had done so in the first place.

What had she gotten herself into?

She hadn't come on too strong, had she?

The repeated scuff of sneakers next to her worked to quell the latter of her worries. Surely Akko wouldn't still be following her if she had felt coerced into doing so. Though, for some reason Diana found the alternative equally as unsettling.

Akko had _leapt_ at her offer. Diana had never seen such a grand smile light up the girl's face before. It had been enough to instill sufficient confidence in her to start their journey, but now that confidence was severely dwindling.

The awkward silence that had settled between them wasn't helping, either.

"So, you told me you're self taught, but how long have you been playing?" she finally put out once she had gathered the courage to do so.

Akko looked up at the sound of her voice, but the blank look Diana received told her she hadn't fully _heard_ her. As she blinked and the clouded look in her eyes vanished—and was replaced by an adorable look of confusion, Diana admitted—she knew her assumption had been correct.

"Huh?" Akko shook her head like she was trying to clear it before she blushed. "S-Sorry, what?"

Diana couldn't fight her smile. "How long have you been playing guitar?"

"Oh." Akko shifted said instrument on her shoulder. "Three years, I guess?"

"That is honestly quite impressive that you have become so adept at it in such a relatively short amount of time," Diana replied, making sure her surprise was evident. It was indeed no small feat; Akko deserved to know that.

Akko, meanwhile, simply shrugged. "I had a good teacher."

"So, you _were_ taught?"

Akko chuckled. "In a way? Like, she taught me the basics of everything, but then any song I know I taught myself."

"I see. May I ask who your teacher was?"

A panicked look flashed in the brunette's eyes as she looked away from Diana, hurrying a few steps ahead in her haste to recover.

"Just... Just a f-friend..."

Diana found her reaction curious, though she knew better than to pressure Akko into revealing information she seemed uncomfortable giving. It was, after all, the girl's mysterious, alluring nature that had drawn Diana to her in the first place.

They finished the rest of their walk in another silence, though this one was slightly less stiff. Once Diana saw the sign hanging outside the Wednesday Café, her nerves calmed somewhat as she picked up her speed.

"Here we are," she announced with an easy smile, opening the door and gesturing for Akko to step on through. The girl did so with a bowed head and darkened cheeks.

The familiar chime of the bell sounded, and Diana watched with a semblance of pride as Akko looked up, taking in her surroundings with awe. Small wooden tables lined the two side walls, the counter and coffee machines were pushed against the back wall, and a few booths sat adjacent to the front of building, which featured floor to ceiling windows. A few plush couches and leather chairs were strewn about the center of the area, giving off a welcoming, cozy vibe.

Not to mention the smell of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and the miscellaneous pastries the café sold as well.

"I see why you like this place..."

Diana chuckled. "I'm glad you approve of the décor, but save your final judgement after you've ordered something," she responded playfully. "Though I'm confident you won't be disappointed."

Akko looked back at her with a grin. "That's for me to determine and you to find out!"

Diana gestured showily towards the counter, her smile and teasing tone never lessening. "Then by all means. It shall be my treat."

Akko stopped mid step at the offer, turning to face Diana with a look of confusion, though this look was more worrying than it was adorable.

Why did she look so guilty?

"I-I'm sorry," Diana quickly backpedaled. "I didn't mean to offend you or-."

"No!" Akko suddenly cried. "Diana, it's...a super nice offer! It's just...why?"

"Why?" Diana blinked.

The brunette reverted back to her shy demeanor, her attention focused on the hardwood floors beneath them. "Why are you treating me?"

"Well..." Because that's what a friend would do? Because she was trying to win the girl over? "I... I realize I never gave you any money the other day after you played that song for me. That was incredibly rude on my part, so I'd like to apologize by buying you something now," was what she eventually settled on, hoping it was the right answer.

"I wasn't expecting you to pay me then, you know," Akko mumbled, though there was a small smile on her face now as she looked back up. "I wanted to play for you."

Morale slowly on the rise now that Akko was smiling again, Diana smiled too, trying to look undaunted. "Then I simply just _want_ to treat _you_."

A shade of pink dusted across Akko's cheeks again, though this time it was considerably lighter. "O-Okay."

As they stood in line, Diana pondered over her and Akko's behavior with each other thus far. Sometimes it was like they were old friends, making jokes at the other's expense and then laughing it off, and then suddenly the next moment they were fumbling over each other like high schoolers with their first crush. What did all of it mean?

 _Do I have a crush on Akko?_ Diana questioned in her head, grateful she was currently in front of said brunette so the girl of her musings couldn't see the furious red that had overtaken her face. _I mean...that's preposterous! I've only known her a few days, and even then I still barely know anything about her!_

Although, Diana also admitted begrudgingly, she had never really had any crushes before now, so how was she to know how they worked? She also had no real friends, so perhaps this was simply normal behavior between budding friends.

 _Hell if I know,_ she grumbled internally, forcing her blush to fade as the two of them finally stepped up to order. Lotte, of course, welcomed her with a smile.

"Hi, Diana!" she chimed, Sucy grunting her hello from behind the redhead where she was busy preparing orders. "Who's this?"

"You come here so much the people that work here even know you by name?!" Akko seemed absolutely astounded Diana was on a first name basis with the girl.

"Diana comes here all the time," Lotte explained. "Plus we go to school together. I wouldn't say we know each other _well,_ but enough to be friendly with the other."

"Yeah, she's here enough, how could we _not_ know her?" Sucy droned before hollering out an order for pickup.

Akko smiled brightly. "Well, I'm Akko!" she greeted jovially. "Diana's pretty great, huh?"

"A-Akko..." Diana groaned, bowing her head to hide her flush. She hadn't been expecting that. And in front of Lotte and Sucy too...

Within five minutes, they had their orders and had settled in at a booth by the window, Akko's guitar leaning against the table. She had insisted on ordering whatever Diana did, so they both currently warmed their hands on hot mugs of chamomile tea, Diana's favorite when she wasn't in a coffee mood.

"Didn't you say you worked through your lunch?" Akko asked after a brief, unsure silence. "Aren't you going to eat something? That banana bread up there looked pretty tasty."

Diana found it quite annoying how often she found herself blushing in the brunette's presence, but she also couldn't deny the fact that her brain just wouldn't quite function like normal either for whatever reason. She had indeed not eaten lunch earlier, and, at the mention of food, heard her stomach grumble to confirm the fact. She had been so distracted when ordering—she had to pick the _perfect_ thing knowing Akko was going to have the same thing—that she had completely forgotten.

"I... I did, yes," she replied quietly, still quite embarrassed.

When she made no move to get up, however, she saw Akko cock her head.

"But you're not going to get anything?"

All Diana could offer in return was a weak shrug.

There was a brief sound of rustling before Diana saw a protein bar being pushed across the table to her. Looking up, Akko was smiling and gave a little shrug of her own.

"You can have this, if you want," she said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I know you're hungrier than you're letting on. You need it more than I do at the moment."

Diana wasn't quite sure how the girl 'knew' how hungry she was, but the offer was incredibly sweet and genuine, plus Diana couldn't deny the excited little shiver that went down her back as her fingers accidentally brushed against Akko's as she picked up the bar.

"Thank you, Akko," she said, still quiet, though this time from a different reason of embarrassment.

"Hey, you bought me a drink! I owed 'ya!"

Diana chuckled. "You most certainly did not. This isn't some kind of competition of who can do the kindest thing for the other."

A playful glint flashed in Akko's eyes as she leaned across the table.

"What if it was?"

"Pardon?" Diana asked with an arched eyebrow as she took the first bite out of the protein bar.

"What would you do next to outdo me?" Akko was nearly bouncing in her seat. Diana had no idea why she was so excited by this new...game?

Still, it was too captivating for Diana to not play along.

She smirked. "I'd go buy you a slice of that banana bread," she played.

Akko's grin widened, whether from Diana's response, or simply just the fact that she was playing along.

"Then I'd learn your absolute _favorite_ song and play it for you!"

"Then I'd have to make sure to give you a tip this time."

"What if I don't want any money?"

"Then I'd take you out to lunch."

Both girls froze at the bold answer. Akko's cheeks were as red as her eyes, and Diana was certain her cheeks were clashing with her own blue ones. They both immediately looked down at their laps, although when Diana glanced up she saw Akko do the same. Their eyes meeting made them both come even closer to spontaneously combusting.

"You would?" Akko asked so meekly Diana wasn't sure she had even said anything at all.

Diana thought her answer over carefully, chewing on her lip as she did so, something Aunt Daryl absolutely _abhorred_.

"I would," she replied equally as delicately. Swallowing, she looked back at the brunette across from her and refused to look away. "I've really enjoyed all the time we have spent with the other, even though they haven't amounted to much yet."

"Yet?" Akko was looking a bit more recovered now, although her blush hadn't quite faded.

Now Diana rolled her eyes, though she made sure Akko knew it was in jest, not annoyance.

"I'm saying I like hanging out with you, Akko."

"So does that make us friends?"

"Yes, Akko, it makes us friends."

* * *

Diana was on such a high when she arrived home hours later that not even Daryl's normally intimidating glower could make the happiness fluttering in her heart dissipate.

"And just _where_ were you?" her aunt growled, her typical aggressive, belittling tone she only used for Diana present. "I hope you realize school let out nearly _three_ hours ago."

Had she really been with Akko that long? It sure hadn't felt like it. The two had just gotten so caught up in talking about everything and nothing that Diana paid no attention to the slowly darkening sky outside. She had been so at ease—so _happy_ —that time had held no meaning for her then. It was only when Akko finally brought it up that Diana realized the sun had indeed begun to set.

 _"I guess I should let you get home, huh? A fancy school like Luna Nova, I'm sure you have tons of homework, right?"_

Diana was usually grateful for the distraction homework provided her. It was always her card to play to escape a confrontation with her aunt, teasing from her cousins, or to avoid Hannah, Barbara, or other classmates.

Yet, with Akko, she found she was growing to _despise_ homework. It was keeping her from her new friend.

"Diana!" Daryl barked, snapping her fingers in front of her face. "Are you even listening to me? _Where have you been?_ "

Huffing, Diana leveled her aunt with a glare of her own.

"I was just out with a friend," she replied, remembering to keep her voice strong and her eyes on Daryl's. "Time just got away from me."

"Wow, Diana has a friend?" Merrill crooned with a sickly grin.

"They must be desperate for company if they're calling _you_ their friend!" Maril added while sticking her tongue out at their younger cousin.

Diana just rolled her eyes. Her cousins always seemed to trail after their mother like newborn puppies. They also seemed to insult her any chance they got, so Diana had grown extremely thick skin against their snide remarks.

"They are far above hanging out with you lot, that's for certain," Diana spat back, perhaps against better judgement.

"Watch your tongue," Daryl seethed. "I should-!"

"Send me to my room without dinner, I'm headed that way anyway."

With another roll of her eyes, Diana stalked off, eventually heading up the grand staircase and off to the wing of the mansion that housed her bedroom. She could hear her cousins and aunts cackling—no doubt about her—until she shut the door.

Sighing heavily, Diana let her book bag slide off her shoulder and onto the floor. Normally she wouldn't dare to leave any of her school things strewn about her room, but she was simply exhausted and decided to let it go this one time. Her eyes had zeroed in on her bed, and now she only had one destination.

It wasn't ten seconds after she had collapsed on her bed that there was a quiet knock at her door. Diana recognized the knock however and bid the person entry.

"Milady," Anna greeted with a bow.

"Hi, Anna," Diana replied, her voice somewhat muffled as she refused to lift her head off her comforter.

"I...heard Daryl grumbling to herself and those incorrigible cousins of yours laughing amongst themselves, so I assumed you had skipped dinner?"

Diana chuckled, finally forcing herself to sit up.

"Even if I hadn't planned on skipping in the first place, I wasn't going to get anything after mouthing off to Maril and Merrill."

Though Anna's look seemed stern and solemn, Diana was able to detect the small glimmer of mirth in the old woman's eyes.

"You know there are better ways to fight your aunt than acting in defiance like a typical teenager."

"That's something everyone here seems to forget," Diana mumbled under her breath then, "I _am_ a teenager. Typical or not, I shouldn't have to be someone I'm not."

"But you are the head of this house," Anna told her gently, setting the tray with Diana's dinner on her desk. "Daryl can deny it all she wants, but one day, the truth will come out, and you'll take your rightful place here."

"But what if I don't want that?" Diana asked, looking to her maid with imploring eyes. "No, I don't wish to see my aunt control this house any longer, but that doesn't mean I particularly _want_ the job myself."

"Milady..."

Diana huffed, looking away from Anna.

"I apologize," she automatically said, even though they both knew the lie behind it. "I guess I'm hungrier than I initially thought."

Anna watched her drag herself over to her desk before sighing, looking at Diana one last time, and departing.

Diana's hand clenched around her fork as she heard her door shut. With one final resigned sigh, she gazed out the window, feeling more trapped in her house than she ever had before.

She missed Akko.

She missed feeling free.

* * *

 **I understand if people feel Diana is out of character in this story. However, I don't think she is. We were only just beginning to see another side of her when the show ended, I like to think I'm exploring what the writers and creators had cracked open for us. Diana at the end of the day is the same age as Akko and everyone else. She was molded by a society filled with superiority, tradition, and extravagance; nothing like any of the other characters. Regardless of how she acts on the outside, I just can't imagine she's never wondered about the simpler things. There's nothing wrong with letting your walls come down, something I think Diana was just beginning to realize in canon. Therefore, I don't think she's out of character; she's just a kid.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Longest chapter yet, guys! (And of course it's the one with the most angst...)**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

Akko felt like she was on top of the world as she nearly skipped down the sidewalk, garnering quite a few looks. But that didn't matter; she felt so free!

Diana had said they were friends! Akko may not come from much, but she was sure the surge of emotions she was feeling at the moment was the equivalence to having all the money in the world. Hell, she was above the world! She was on cloud nine!

 _That went_ so _much better than expected!_ Akko reaffirmed as she continued her gaily gait. _I really wasn't aiming to get anything out of Diana, but she bought me a drink anyway! She's so sweet!_

She really wanted to brag about the blonde, so she was currently hustling to the police headquarters, hoping to catch Chariot and Croix.

And _avoid_ Chief Finneran.

She stopped across the street from the precinct and hid behind a bench, peering over to see if Finneran was outside the building for any reason—the woman did like to patrol, Akko had learned that several times in many different ways. When she failed to appear, Akko sighed in relief, quickly dashing across the street, ignoring the horns blaring at her.

She stopped and crouched beneath a window she knew looked into the main area of the headquarters. She had been inside this particular building so many times, she basically had the blueprints engraved in her mind. The center of the main floor was where all the officers' cubicles were. Processing was to the left of the offices, and the holding cells to the right. There were two bathrooms in the back left corner, and the interrogation rooms took up the rest of the back wall. Finneran's office was on the second floor, and the rest of the second floor, as well as the third and fourth floors were where the city's prison was. Akko figured it made sense that the main police office shared a building with a prison.

While she had been in Finneran's office many times, she had luckily avoided anywhere else on the upper levels. She had stayed more nights than she could count in a holding cell on the first floor—most of the time trying to befriend anyone sharing the cell with her for the hell of it—but her simple misdemeanors weren't enough to actually jail her.

To Finneran's greatest detest, of course.

Akko pulled her hood up to hide her face and signature beanie, though she was sure every cop in the city knew to be on the watch for a girl in a burgundy hoodie anyway. Still, she took extra precautions as she peered just the slightest bit in the window.

There was no flash of red or purple. Akko huffed.

Knowing there was one last place she could look, she quickly ran the length of the building before turning left behind it. Halfway down she slowed, emerging only slightly from a corner.

The carport.

She squinted to make out the numbers on the few cars parked, and sighed once more when she didn't see the familiar numbers of 625430. That meant the two were either out on a call or were patrolling an area of the city.

Even though Akko was bursting at the seams, she wasn't about to go up and down every street looking for the two officers.

She loved Chariot and Croix, but not _that_ much.

"Well, I'm sure I'll see them around sooner or later," she told herself as she shrugged. Chuckling, she added, "Probably sooner."

She turned around to head anywhere _but_ the precinct when she hit something hard.

Something hard that let out a grunt and was glaring down at her.

Any shred of giddiness Diana had brought immediately fled in fear as her stomach dropped.

"Uh... H-Hey, Chief F-Finneran!" she shakily greeted, taking one step away from the woman. The chief's personal bubble was overflowing with disapproval.

"And just _what_ are you doing snooping around here, Kagari?"

"Y-You know... Looking at the cars! I like the red and blue...lights?"

Finneran was not impressed, and only continued to sneer down at Akko.

"I could bring you in for loitering, I'll have you know. Though since you're thankfully not with that O'Neill character and _smoking_ outside the _police station_ , you escape the handcuffs yet again."

"Hey, that was _one time_!" Akko exclaimed. "And I didn't even enjoy it! I don't understand how people like that. Amanda's crazy for always having some on her. I don't even know where she gets the stuff."

At Finneran's raised eyebrow, Akko growled and added, "I swear I don't!"

"For once, I believe you," Finneran droned dryly. Heaving a great sigh, she waved her hand at Akko. "Now get out of here, and don't let me catch you here again; otherwise I _will_ detain you."

Gulping, Akko saluted before turning on her heel and dashing away. She didn't stop until she was nearly four blocks away and Finneran was just a tiny figure in the distance. Akko wished she was always that small.

"I can't believe Finneran let me off!" she mumbled in awe. "She _never_ does that! This has been the best day ever!"

"I can still see you, Kagari!"

Akko squeaked in surprise before turning a corner and ducking out of sight.

She really hated that woman.

* * *

Naturally, Akko found herself back on the outskirts of Luna Nova's grounds a few days later. She had decided to stop her search for Chariot and Croix in order to stay away from Finneran's wrathful gaze. Akko wouldn't have been at all surprised if the woman had planted officers outside the precinct specifically to keep Akko away after their latest encounter. After all, the two cops usually found _her_ ; apparently it was meant to be that way and that way only.

Akko was currently unable to get to her tree, however, as dozens of students milled about the lawn. Obviously they were making the best of the nice weather on their break period. One look at the sun's position, and Akko realized it was indeed lunchtime.

Her stomach growled.

"That doesn't include _us_ ," she grumbled, glaring down her torso disapprovingly.

She was so busy scolding her rogue stomach, she didn't even hear the footsteps coming up behind her.

"Still spying on others, I see."

Quickly doing an about-face, Akko spun around with another surprised squeak. The flash of terror in her eyes immediately morphed into joy, however.

"Diana!" She chuckled nervously as she fiddled with her beanie. "I was just...you know...in the neighborhood?"

The blonde rolled her eyes, albeit good-naturedly, with a chuckle.

"Somehow I doubt that."

Well there was no way in the seven hells Akko was going to admit she had come here in hopes to seek out the blonde. That would just make her sound like a stalker.

Wait, _was_ she being a stalker?

"W-Well," Akko stuttered, sensing changing the subject may be her best hope. "What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be in class?"

"This is my lunch period," Diana replied with a snarky smile, knowing Akko was hoping to catch her off guard. "Seniors are allowed to go off campus if they desire. I decided to head back a bit early to squeeze in some study time before my next class."

"Oh." Akko deflated. Of course Diana had the perfect, logical answer.

 _'Cause she's friggin'_ perfect _, duh!_

"What are you really doing here, Akko?" the blonde asked next, eyebrow raised curiously even though her easy smile was still present. "Shouldn't you be at your-?"

"I'm not in school," Akko quickly said, guessing what Diana was going to say and stopping her from having to embarrass Akko further. Her stomach filled with dread as Diana's eyes widened, confusion evident.

"Oh..." Diana echoed softly.

There was a beat of silence. Both girls looked anywhere but the other. Akko's brain was raging with different kinds of scenarios depending on what she was going to say next. There wasn't necessarily anything _wrong_ with not being in school—for all Diana knew, she could be home-schooled. But the way Akko had just blurted that out with no other explanation or answer offered, she was sure the girl had questions now, if she hadn't figured everything out on her own already. They had seen each other four times now, and each time Akko had been dressed the same, too. Surely that had sent out red flags.

 _I should tell her,_ Akko struggled internally with herself, her mind telling her one thing and her heart arguing another. _I can't keep hoping to evade the subject forever, and I don't want to continue to lie to her. But then, what if she's repulsed by me? She said herself she has a wealthy family; she's not going to want to continue hanging out with some homeless teenager..._

With a resigned sigh, Akko looked up. Diana offered her a small smile, no doubt trying to put her at ease, but Akko could still see the churning oceans of blue spilling over with questions in the girl's eyes.

"Look, I promise I'll tell you everything later. Are you free after school?"

"Of course," Diana immediately replied. "Anything to keep me away from my aunt and cousins."

Akko laughed a bit at that, her spirits lifting along with her confidence just the slightest bit.

"C-Cool," she said. "Meet me outside the Tuesday Café?"

It was Diana's turn to laugh as she corrected, " _Wednesday_ Café, but yes, that is fine."

With a mild blush, lopsided smile, and whisper of "bye," Akko scurried away.

She had a lot to think about and get in order before three o'clock.

 _I hope Diana doesn't hate me for this..._

* * *

By the time it was ten after three, Akko was a nervous wreck. She paced back and forth in front of the café doors, revising and practicing any possible thing she could say. She tried her hardest to keep the darkest of her thoughts with their worst-case scenarios at bay, but she knew in the back of her mind that an adverse reaction was highly likely. After making such progress with Diana, and especially after their amazing time in this very café just a few days ago, the last thing Akko wanted was to lose what she had.

When she spotted Diana just a block away, her heart started hammering in her chest. She hoped she wasn't sweating bullets.

"H-Hey," she greeted, her voice crack betraying any crumbling sense of confidence she had left.

"Long time no see," Diana returned with another kind smile.

She held the door open for Akko yet again, but this time the brunette was too overwhelmed with her rampaging brain to be caught up in the polite action.

"Did you want to get something to drink?" the taller girl asked as they stood awkwardly at the entrance.

Chewing on her lip, Akko decided to bite the bullet now and get it over with.

"Can we just...talk...first?"

The concern Akko could see fill blue irises then did little to assure her of anything.

"Of course."

Akko numbly followed the blonde to the same table they had sat at the last time and slid in across from her. She fixed her gaze on the wooden table between them and stared. Hard.

"What's going on, Akko?" Diana asked. "You're...beginning to worry me."

Akko took one final gulp before affixing her eyes on Diana's. She made every attempt to reach out to the girl across from her like a beacon; like she was her last saving grace. Akko was sure to drown without her assistance.

"Diana, I'm... I'm homeless."

She refused to close her eyes in fear of the girl's reaction, so she noticed the wide array of emotions flash momentarily in Diana's eyes, noticed how her mouth opened and closed several times and her eyes darted away from her only briefly.

"That's why I'm never in school, why I ran away the first time you brought it up. That's why I'm always wearing this disgusting hoodie. That's why I play guitar in the park, why I learned how to in the first place. I... I never knew my parents and I grew up in an orphanage, but then I ran away and I've been on the street since I was fifteen and-!"

"Akko!" Diana's sharp, yet somehow reassuring cry had Akko clamping her mouth shut instantly.

For all of two seconds.

"I'm sorry, I know you must hate me and I promise I won't ever step within a ten foot radius of you ever again, and I know I should have said something earlier, but I was scared and then we became friends and you were so nice-."

" _Akko!_ "

Now her eyes were shut, and hesitantly, she opened them. It was a shock to her system to not find a look of disgust on the blonde across from her, but compassion; empathy.

"Slow down, okay?" Diana suggested. "I'm going to go get us some tea, and then we'll talk. But please, don't be scared about anything. You're still my friend, alright?"

Nodding in compliance, Akko didn't even argue against being bought another drink, instead staring after Diana as she walked up to the counter. Lotte and Sucy either weren't working today or didn't come in until later it seemed, something Akko was thankful for; she didn't need anyone else possibly over-hearing all of this.

 _Well, so far so good, I guess,_ Akko fretted. _She didn't immediately run away in terror or anything. ...Unless she's planning to let me down easily... No! She said I'm still her friend! We're still friends! If only for a little bit longer..._

Just as her thoughts started going down the darker path, Diana returned.

"I can _hear_ you thinking," she quipped as she slid a steaming mug to Akko and regarded her with another smile. "I know this must be intimidating, but please believe me when I say there's no judgement here. I want to learn about Akko; the _real_ Akko. Even if she is homeless."

Akko swallowed, her throat burning from so many different emotions. Diana was still here. She wanted to hear her out.

 _She...really doesn't care?_

"O-Okay," Akko rasped before taking a tentative sip of tea to soothe her throat—and, hopefully, her nerves. "You...want to know everything?"

Diana nodded, her inviting smile and warm demeanor causing Akko to shiver.

"Everything," she repeated, affirmed.

And so Akko told her.

She told the tale of a little girl growing up without any context of parents. She knew they existed, but why didn't she have any? She told the tale of that little girl finally learning on her tenth birthday that her mother had left her on the stoop of an orphanage with no mention of any father. For one reason or another, they didn't want her.

"Maybe it was something they couldn't control," Akko said with a shrug. "Still, the fact that I was just left on some doorstep at just weeks old hurt. It still hurts to this day."

She told the tale of a ten year-old girl then trying so hard to get adopted. She worked hard to be the best daughter possible, listening to all her lessons attentively and being as sweet as she possible could.

Yet no one ever wanted her.

She told the tale of that same girl finally becoming desensitized as a teen, watching those she grew up with leaving her with their picture perfect parents to go lead picture perfect lives. She told of the girl eventually becoming so fed up that she figured anywhere had to be better than where she was and always had been.

"I knew I'd be kicked out once I turned eighteen anyway. Why not get an earlier start?"

The girl struggled for a long while. Getting caught every time she tried to pickpocket or steal, having to resort to whatever she could find on the very top of the trash just to feed herself, being ignored or assaulted whenever she tried begging for money. Every time something went wrong, however, she learned something. Every time something went wrong, she hardened. She adapted. She got better.

There were still the few times she would botch something up. The girl would then end up spending the night in a dark jail cell, huddled alone in a corner away from the big group of intimidating people whispering about her on the opposite end of the space. These nights made her stronger as well though, and soon she learned to take these punishments as lessons. She broadened her horizons, and though it most certainly wasn't in an ideal way, it was enough to survive.

"You'd be surprised at what you can learn from one overnight in a holding cell," Akko recounted with a small chuckle. "Everything from how to break into someone's car with nothing but a piece of cardboard, to the most obscure facts about the War of 1812."

It was these 'sessions' that kick-started the girl's desire to learn. Soon, each day she was at the library and getting her hands on any books that looked even the slightest bit interesting. She had been schooled in the basics before, but this... This opened her up to a completely different world. Not only to the world of learning, but the world of imagination and creativity as well. The girl spent so much time in the library that she saw two different librarians start and leave.

Even with her desire to learn, the girl couldn't stay away from the more daunting lures of the streets. It was one such trap that led her to learning about gang life; something she now wished she would have only learned about through books, not personal experience. While the idea of having some place to belong—something almost like a _family_ —was deceptively alluring, it wasn't anything like she had expected.

"I got conned out of a lot of money," Akko admitted, swirling the remains of her tea as she stared down into the mug. "Amanda was good at keeping up with my fantasy, but eventually I realized this wasn't at all the paradise I had envisioned, so I left before I was every really 'initiated.' She still bugs me every now and then, but I've tried my best to wash my hands of her."

It was on a dark night coming home from Amanda's when the girl was stopped by red and blue flashing lights, and the slow wail of a siren she would soon become so acquainted with.

"I was _so_ scared," Akko explained, a smile growing on her face unbeknownst to her. "Even though I had spent so many nights at the station already, this time was different. Besides associating with a gang, I hadn't actually done anything illegal all day. I didn't know if I should cooperate or run. But then..."

The voice that had called out to the girl wasn't a cop trying to assert their authority, but a red-haired woman with a tender smile, her purple-haired partner peering out the windshield from behind the wheel. The girl hesitantly approached the cruiser, and it was one of the best decisions she had ever made. The cops took the girl under their wings, cared for her when things got too bad, covered for her when they knew she hadn't eaten all week and the stolen bag of chips was her last saving grace. The girl finally had idols; people who cared.

"It sounds so weird to say out loud, but they're my best friends, ya know? I...could very well not be here today if it wasn't for them."

The story ended with the girl still getting into mischief on a regular basis. She gradually left the confines of the city and widened her area of operations to the outskirts. It was then the girl found Luna Nova Academy. Its wide archway and sprawling campus drew her in upon first glance, and she eventually grew bold enough to step inside its boundaries. She had watched from afar so much she learned the class change schedule. At first she would huddle outside any open window she could to listen in on whatever lesson was being taught that day. Even on days when the students simply took a test all period, the girl grew to love the sound of pencils scratching away at paper. It gave the girl the feeling of being included, of attending the kind of school she had started dreaming of as her own private studies in the library grew. It gave the girl a sense of camaraderie she had never experienced and likely never would.

It made the girl feel like she belonged.

"Every times classes would switch, I'd duck into a nearby bush. It was only after maybe a dozen trips that I even considered the vantage point I'd have from the tree."

As adept as the girl had become at scrambling up chain link fences and vaulting over walls, she possessed a finesse for climbing. Gradually reaching higher and higher, she eventually came to the branch should would later deem her throne.

"I went undiscovered for well over a year." As the faraway look faded in Akko's eyes, she met Diana's gaze and grinned. "Then some prissy princess just had to see me."

Diana scoffed with a grin of her own. "Forgive me for traversing the grounds of my own school."

Akko's smile grew briefly at the retort before melting back into an unsure frown. Nerves overcame her once more, and she looked down into her empty mug.

"That's everything," she mumbled then. "My sob story laid bare. My pathetic life in summary."

"Nothing you just told me is pathetic, Akko," Diana said, her eyebrows knitting together, giving her an imposing look. "I know it must be hard to look at the positives and redeeming qualities when you feel so low, but Akko... You've...overcome so many adverse odds. Maybe not in the most respectful of ways, but you can hardly be faulted for it in my eyes. Obviously Chariot and Croix feel the same if they have let you off the hook as much as you implied."

"But you're rich," Akko blurted before cringing at how rude that sounded. "Shouldn't you be revolted to even associate with me?"

Diana surprisingly chuckled. "Why in the world should I be? I'll admit, there is quite the stigma against the homeless, but I think it's misplaced the majority of the time. Maybe my aunts and cousins would be repulsed, as they live and breathe the rich stereotype, but please don't ever think I'm defined by my wealth, Akko. I may come from money, but that doesn't automatically make me heartless."

Akko winced and mumbled, "Sorry, I didn't mean to-."

"I know," Diana reassured her, even going as far as to reach her hand across the table to take Akko's. The brunette immediately blushed. "I'm just trying to express how much you _don't need to worry_. I'm not going anywhere, Akko. Especially not now."

Akko choked on a sob but couldn't hold back the tears, bowing her head as the droplets streamed down her cheeks. Diana didn't move from her booth, but the squeeze she gave Akko's hand was all the comfort she needed as she squeezed back.

They stayed like that a good while, Akko silently crying as Diana tenderly held her hand, eventually letting her thumb trail across the girl's knuckles. Patrons came and went as they stayed absolutely still. Even though Akko was really ecstatic deep down that Diana was still here, the fact that she couldn't stop crying in front of her just made her cry harder.

"You're okay, Akko."

With a great, unflattering sniff, Akko swiped her sleeve across her face before glancing up at the angel across from her. She knew she must look even more of a mess than usual, but she tried to smile anyway.

"T-Thanks, Di-ana..."

Gradually, she managed to calm herself down to the point where her face was dry, but red, the occasional snivel breaking through. Seeing her hand was still firmly in Diana's, her face heated even more and she carefully extracted her hand. Diana's slowly returning to her own lap.

They reverted back to silence, Akko analyzing her story and subsequent breakdown, thinking Diana was likely doing the same. She had never really had the chance to talk about her struggles and the effects they had brought on her; she had never _wanted_ to talk about it. Even Chariot and Croix knew the bare minimum. But, for some reason, Diana was different. It had felt good to put everything on the table; it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Akko assumed her following cry had been a long time coming. She had always tried to mask her emotions, for they would only get in the way of trying to survive. Perhaps she took too many pages out of Amanda's book. Maybe she didn't have to be strong to be successful. Maybe weakness was needed every now and then...

Akko shyly looked back up to see unwavering blue looking back at her. Cheeks flushed in a mirrored pink.

...Because in this moment, Akko absolutely felt successful.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm so sorry it's been over a month without an update! I got much more into Assassin's Creed Odyssey than I was expecting and couldn't get myself to do much of anything except play that. Even though I'm now trying to 100% the game in order to get the platinum PS4 trophy, I am finished with the story, so perhaps I'll be more excited to write again. I sure hope so. We still have quite a ways to go!**

 **Also, trigger warning for abuse at the very end. Me being me, I can't write a fic without a good filling of angst...**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight**

"I'm sorry, you expect me to do _what_?"

After Akko's confession in the Wednesday Café, Diana had requested Akko pick out a favorite hangout of hers to go to. While Akko had repeatedly assured Diana she had recovered from her crying spell and was fine, the lingering haze that frosted Akko's eyes didn't do much to reassure Diana. Plus, she had meant it when she said she wanted to learn about the real Akko; shouldn't that include her favorite places?

Diana just hadn't been expecting to be standing before a large tree atop a hill in the park and looking _up_ at Akko a good six feet above her.

"Come on, Diana!" Akko cheered her on, giggling with mirth surely at the confounded expression on Diana's face. "It's not as bad as it looks, I swear!"

"Akko, one could argue you climb trees as a hobby," Diana fired back although there was no malice to her voice, just poorly disguised fear. "I, on the other hand, cannot even remember the last time I attempted to climb a tree." Then, in a completely deadpan tone, she added, "I probably fell."

"I promise I'll catch you!"

Despite the harrowing situation, Diana felt herself smiling. "From all the way up there? That would be quite an amazing feat."

Akko chuckled and rolled her eyes before swiftly lowering herself one branch lower and then dropping gracefully to the ground. Diana winced as she came into contact with the grass; how in the world did the girl still have functioning legs?

"Fine then, silly, I'll help you up first," Akko told her. "Then I really _will_ catch you if you fall. I promise I make a comfy cushion."

"Don't tempt me now."

Akko simply blushed and beamed as Diana hesitantly approached the imposing tree.

 _Come on, my aunt is more intimidating than a simple tree; even if it may very well be the biggest tree I've ever seen. Still, I've faced worse than this, and if I plan to sweep my family out from under Aunt Daryl, I still have even worse to face down the line. I can do this. Akko is watching._

Diana wasn't quite sure when she started giving herself internal pep talks, and she didn't know if it was those inspiring words or Akko's infectious energy behind her that had her gathering her wits about her and reaching for the lowest hanging branch.

"Yeah!" Akko cheered at the first movement. "Now once you have a good grip, just walk your feet up the trunk a little. Then you should have enough leverage to pull yourself the rest of the way up!"

Diana did as told, and with only one single slip—in which her heart raced, but not necessarily in a bad way—she found herself a couple feet off the ground. Even though it wasn't nearly as impressive as Akko's height just moments ago, Diana still stared down at the ground wide-eyed.

"You did it!"

"Can I get down now?"

Akko laughed again. Diana grinned.

"You need to go higher if you want to see why I chose this particular tree!" she shrilled, quickly clambering up to the same branch Diana was recuperating on. "It's just three more branches!"

"Aren't you ever afraid you'll fall?" Diana asked as she watched Akko ascend again, blushing when a hand was extended back down to help her.

Akko shrugged. "I guess I just taught myself early that I can't be too afraid of anything. If I was too afraid to steal, I'd starve. If I was too afraid of judgement, I wouldn't have gotten any sleep those nights I slept in the tunnel of the playground."

Diana gulped, her heart once again going out to the girl above her. "I used to play in that tunnel all the time as a child. The playground in the eastern section of this park, right?"

"Mm-hm!" They continued to climb as they talked, Akko leading Diana higher and higher until they were well past three more branches; but Diana found herself so engaged she didn't even bother to say anything. "That was before I found where I live now. I even tried sleeping on the curly slide once, and let me tell you, that wasn't fun."

"Because you slid down it in the middle of the night?" Diana cracked a smile.

Akko returned it instantly, though she added in a chuckle as she replied, "Because of the static electricity! I'm sure bed-head doesn't even come close to electric-head!"

"I would have paid to see that."

Akko just stuck her tongue out as she hauled Diana up on final branch. Despite how high they had climbed—Diana didn't dare look down—the branches were still comfortably thick. Even though Diana's gut was rolling with nerves, she still felt that the branches could hold the weight of both of them. As soon as she felt even the slightest twitch, though, she was out of there.

Her stomach leapt to her throat as she watched Akko lean forward, Diana's arms automatically almost reaching out to steady her before she remembered Akko was just as home up here than anywhere else. Still, that didn't mean she wouldn't worry.

"Ta-dah!" Akko exclaimed as she gestured showily through a perfectly convenient gap in the foliage, allowing them to gaze out on the land before them.

Diana had to admit it was quite the view. They were on the western side of the park facing east. They could see the fountain a little ways in the distance, several buildings jutting up behind it and the trees that served as the park's boundaries. The sun was high in the sky and everything was so green. It was a scene of pure tranquility.

"Cool, right?"

Diana nodded, gaze never wavering as she answered, "Indeed. It is extremely 'cool.'"

Unnoticed, Akko went to chew on her lip, Diana only catching on once she could feel eyes on her.

"What is it?" she asked.

Akko looked away with a blush, mumbling, "I... I don't want to be rude."

The response only confused Diana more. "Rude about what?"

For a second, it seemed Akko wasn't going to respond, her eyes nervously darting back and forth between nothing while her knuckles turned white from her grip on the branch.

"Akko?"

Finally, the brunette looked at her, eyes shimmering with a curiosity nearly adorable had it not been for the fear of overstepping boundaries shimmering beneath.

"I just... What's _your_ family like, Diana?"

Diana blinked, and Akko immediately went into salvage mode.

"I-I mean, you don't have to tell me anything, obviously, I know that's a private thing, but you've dropped little tidbits while we've known each other like how you're rich and you mentioned an aunt and cousins, and I don't want you to feel pressured, but I _am_ curious and I can't help wanting to know more about you."

The brunette said everything in one breath as she did when she was nervous and panicking, and Diana merely blinked once more as she tried to digest everything. One thing she knew off the bat was that she wanted to reassure Akko she wasn't made uncomfortable by the question, she just needed time to...get her story in order.

"I don't mind you asking, Akko," she said with a small smile. "I'm flattered you remembered the things I let slip and are interested enough to know more."

"Is there a 'but' in there?" Akko asked meekly with a nervous chuckle.

Diana shook her head. "Not really; I just need to get my thoughts in order."

"Oh. O-Okay. You know you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, right? I don't want you to feel obligated to say anything just because I did."

Diana smiled warmly at the girl. Akko returned it hesitantly.

"I know, Akko."

"Is it...bad?"

Diana sighed and shrugged. "A bit, I guess. Some days the ache is worse than others, but, like you got stronger from your bad days, so have I started to."

Neither girl said anything as Akko's hand came to rest next to Diana's, a tentative pinky reaching out and being graciously accepted. Blushes struggled for dominance on stoic faces, smiles trying to break free from their constraints, but eyes stayed trained straight ahead.

"My family has a lot of old money," Diana started. "All the women in my family have been doctors and practitioners as far back as the early 1800's. The women have always held the power, which is why we also have quite a bit of fame to our name in a highly patriarchal society. It was always the men who married in an adopted our name. And while they had a great variety of jobs from factory-line workers to lawyers like my father, they never held much power."

"What do you mean by power?" Akko asked, curiosity once again sparking a signature sparkle in her eyes as she hung on to Diana's every word.

"I guess the more appropriate word would be 'respect,'" Diana revised. "You know how men are typically seen as the head of the household, and it's _their_ name that is supposed to be carried on by their children?"

Akko nodded and Diana smiled at her rapt attention.

"Well, my family is the exact opposite. The woman was the head of the house, and Cavendish was always the name given to any children, never the father's name. Even as time passed and societal standards changed, we remained firm in our traditions." With a brief chuckle, Diana said under her breath, "Though I'm not really talking about me now, am I?"

Akko laughed too. "It's okay. I actually really think it's interesting. Your family's stuck by their tradition for so long. That's something to be proud of!"

"It is," Diana agreed before her eyes glistened with a touch of sadness and longing, "and I suppose that's where my story starts."

The tables now sufficiently turned, Diana began her own tale. Akko shuffled closer.

Diana's background wasn't nearly as extensive as Akko's, but Akko did painstakingly learn how Diana had lost both her parents at a young age. The reason Diana had always seemed so closed off the initial few times they met had now come to the surface. While some of that façade was in place to please her aunt and her place in society, it was mostly because she was scared. There was still that happy, carefree little girl deep inside her that had so much love to give, but she was kept under lock and key out of fear of being hurt once again.

It was almost like Diana was afraid to love again.

Akko could hardly blame her, to be honest. Growing up without parents was one thing, but how would it feel to have _had_ parents and then lose them before they had fully prepared you for the world that lies ahead? The thought was unfathomable to Akko.

"So, is your aunt like your guardian now?" she asked when Diana had fallen quiet for a moment, staring wistfully out at the park.

Diana chuckled, but it held no humor. "She certainly isn't family."

Akko frowned. Diana, seeing, looked her way with a small, hopefully reassuring, smile.

"I came to accept it long ago; before my parents had even passed. Aunt Daryl's never really fit in or even accepted our family ways; it was always simply about the wealth and her image. A lot of that probably had to do with my mother being the oldest, and therefore being the one more in the public eye. Once my father came into the picture, that popularity doubled as he came from his own esteemed family. She always felt like she was second best, and then when I came along, she was demoted even lower. She never did try to hide her ire for me from my mother."

"But that's...horrible!" Akko cried, not understanding how Diana could be retelling everything so nonchalantly. It was like she was simply a computer, running a program that retold her story monotonously. "Family's supposed to care about and love each other. You shouldn't mistreat a _child_ just because it ruins your image!"

"Unfortunately, not all families are like those you read about, Akko."

Akko flushed. "I- I know that! B-But still..."

"It's okay," Diana assured her once again. "I believe I've grown stronger because of it. Aunt Daryl and her daughters may be a right ignorant lot, but I won't allow them to always be a dark spot on the Cavendish name."

"What does being head of your house mean?" Akko asked next. "Like...a queen?"

Diana truly laughed at that, and Akko grinned even if the sound was at her expense.

"Not quite," she chuckled. "It honestly doesn't mean much at all; it's just some generated pedestal in society created so people have something to talk about, like anyone rich or famous. There's no _reason_ for them to be in the spotlight. They're not _better_ than anyone else who may fall into the lower constructed tiers, it's just..."

"Society's a bitch?"

Another laugh and another smile. "Indeed it is." Diana sighed, adjusting her position on the branch. Her hind end was beginning to go numb; maybe they could get down soon. "That's why I really want to go against the norm and construe society's image. While I'm incredibly proud of the history of my family, I don't wish to continue the line this way. It's become expected of me to go into the medical field like all the other heads before me, but what if I don't want that? Or if I do, why should that matter, or be considered better than any other field?"

"What do you want to study then?"

"I don't know!" Diana exclaimed with an exasperated groan. "I gave up hope I could ever be anything else so long ago that I never took the time to think about what I really want. I just know I don't want _this_."

Akko's face twisted as she seemed to think, and Diana couldn't help but smile at the silly look. Still, she was incredibly surprised and warmed that Akko was so intent in learning about her and her family. She never got the time to lay everything out on the table like this. Not even Anna would entertain her this long. The discussion had helped her get her thoughts more in order and solidify the fact that this life she was living wasn't for her. She didn't want it. She saw now that she could still live up to her family name and bring honor to her house by breaking away from the status quo. The structure of society wouldn't collapse in on itself; the Cavendish name wouldn't be scorned. It would only be so if kept on top of the totem pole out of greed; out of vanity.

Like how Aunt Daryl was currently running things at the helm.

Diana ground her teeth before Akko snapping her fingers beside her provided a welcome distraction.

"Well, what's your favorite subject in school?"

"History," Diana answered without a second thought.

"See?!" Akko squeaked, beaming once more. "You could go to college for history!" She gasped. "You could be a professor! I can totally see it! You sitting in an office, some glasses on your nose as you grade papers; you'd be perfect at it!"

"I don't know if I'm cut out for teaching, Akko," Diana admitted though she wore a smile still.

Akko wouldn't back down though.

"Sure you are! You just basically gave me a lesson about your family history, right? Sure, it wasn't in front of a class of potentially bored students, but you still did it, and it held _my_ attention!"

Chuckling softly, Diana asked, "So does that mean you would take my class?"

Akko beamed. "Are you kidding? I'd be your best student! Already knowing the professor ahead of time's gotta get me some brownie points too, right?!"

She said as much with a smile, but Diana still saw that same shadow from before flicker across Akko's face. Her usually shimmering red eyes had dulled to a subdued maroon, and once she let her smile drop, the person Diana was left with was just a shell of the girl she was getting to know.

Diana wanted so badly to inquire about the behavior. What troubled Akko so much that she felt she had to hide behind fake smiles and lackluster cheers? Diana had a feeling it all traced back to her homelessness, but hadn't Diana proved she would never judge Akko for that? Had she still not assuaged those fears? Swallowing a lump in her throat that became a knot in her stomach, Diana's brain kept churning out ideas.

Did their friendship really mean so little?

And how was she supposed to respond? Did she need to be the one to bring it up? Maybe Akko was just scared to do so herself. Diana already knew she felt unreasonable guilt about being homeless, maybe that guilt was still at play here as well? Or was Diana just supposed to play along and act like she couldn't see the demons circling the brunette in a cruel taunt; couldn't feel the longing in the girl's heart.

In the end, Diana took the easy way out.

She gave a weak laugh before clearing her throat and saying, "I guess I should be heading home. Aunt Daryl threw a fit last time I came home late; I can't wait to hear her screech this time."

Apparently still under her demons' spell, Akko simply mumbled in the harshest tone Diana had ever heard, "Just tell her to shove it."

Diana didn't even try responding to that, shivering instead from how cold Akko had managed to sound just then. It...was unnerving to hear the normally bright, upbeat girl sounding so hollow. So...defeated.

Still, Akko helped Diana back down the tree, and once they had their feet planted firmly on the ground, Akko looked up at her.

That dark shroud was gone, and all that was left was the twinkling of rubies. When Akko smiled then, Diana immediately returned it.

Because this time that smile was real.

Diana knew it.

Throwing caution to the wind, she closed the small distance between them and engulfed Akko in a hug. Though Akko initially went rigid with an adorable "eep!," the effect was near instantaneous as the girl all but sagged into Diana's embrace. Slender arms wrapped around Diana's waist and squeezed back. They held the contact for maybe longer than was usual for an exchange between friends, but both of them had such large grins on their faces as they pulled back, it was obvious neither of them cared.

"Thanks for today, Diana," Akko said.

"Well, thank you for showing me how to climb a tree. My inner child is forever grateful to you," Diana replied, her grin growing, hoping to get them back to that playful banter she had come to enjoy so much. Akko giggled as well before Diana's smile turned more somber, yet always still soft. "In all seriousness though, thank you for telling me what you did, and then listening so intently to my own story as well. It took a lot of courage to speak about something so private, and I'm honored you chose to tell me." Gathering a bit of courage, she added, "I...hope you know you can come to me about anything."

Diana found it promising when Akko's eyes didn't gloss over this time. Instead, her smile widened and she repeated in earnest, "Thank you."

"Y-Yeah," Diana stuttered on a breath, quickly turning tail and scurrying off.

What had that been all about? What had caused her to stutter suddenly? _"Yeah?"_ What kind of response was _that_?

Still, the excited flutter that took flight in her stomach as she recalled Akko's smile caused Diana to do the same. With one final glance over her shoulder only to see Akko still staring after her and giving a small final wave, that flutter hastened and her smile started to become painful.

Facing back around with heated cheeks, she mumbled, though still with an affectionate look, "Damn you, Akko..."

* * *

Diana had been expecting Daryl to be waiting for her as she returned home, but she _hadn't_ been expecting her aunt to be outside on the porch as she walked up the driveway. Diana could feel her aunt's discontent wafting from her body in waves, so she inhaled sharply and put her indifferent mask in place, prepared to take whatever verbal lashing that had become the norm.

"Diana," Daryl ground out her usual bitter greeting.

"Aunt," Diana fired back. "I didn't expect you to be waiting for me."

Daryl sneered. "Don't be coy with me, girl. You _know_ you're expected home as soon as school lets out."

Diana made to step around her aunt as she replied, "I'm nearly eighteen, Aunt Daryl, I don't have to listen to your every whim anymore. You can't keep me from having a life of my own, even though I know you try your very hardest to do so."

She was almost inside when her aunt snatched up her wrist and yanked her back. Her icy eyes had hardened to that of a glacier, and Diana knew she had crossed a line.

Still, she refused to show any fear.

"I don't know _who_ you have been hanging out with, but you watch your tongue. You are only under this roof because your mother requested it. I've done my best to comply with her late wishes, but if you continue to disrespect this family-."

As soon as her mother was mentioned, Diana snapped. Consequences be damned.

" _Me_ disrespect this family?" she shrieked. " _I_ am rightful heir to this family and you know it! You are the one who tramples over our family name and treats it as your 'get rich quick' scheme! Even if mother hadn't been older, there would have been no way in hell you would have become head! You don't have a shred of respect in your body for anyone but yourself and your selfish daughters made in your mirror image."

"You _bitch!_ "

Diana didn't even have time to blink. One second her aunt's hand was in the air, and the next Diana could taste blood on her tongue. Tears sprang unbidden to her eyes as she stared up in shock at Daryl's red hand. Her aunt's ice-cold eyes glinted with blue flames as she let out an animalistic growl.

"Get out of my sight."

Diana ran.


	9. Chapter 9

**The reason for the delay this time? I'm not too proud of this chapter... Especially after superevilbadguy's amazing artwork for this fic (now the cover art on here), I want to live up to everyone's expectations, and my own most of all. I've always been hard on myself with my writing, but eventually I had to let it go, otherwise this would have never gotten posted. So I'm...okay with this chapter? Idk, hopefully you all still enjoy it.**

* * *

 **Chapter Nine**

Akko smirked when she saw Diana blush softly as she retreated. She was beyond ecstatic that the blonde trusted her enough to let down her walls and truly be herself—never mind confiding her past and future troubles in Akko as well. A blushing, shy Diana was a much better look than stoic, closed-off Diana. Akko felt humbled that she was lucky enough to see Diana at her most vulnerable.

 _She's just too cute,_ Akko thought briefly before a blush of her own overcame her. _Wait, what?_

Shaking her head to rid herself of the weird fluttery feeling that was flooding her, Akko decided to see if Chariot and Croix were around; it had been awhile since she had seen them. Usually, that would be a good thing, but Akko couldn't deny that she missed her friends. She also hadn't gotten into much mischief lately and felt she was due to give Finneran another migraine.

Her stomach grumbled as she headed out the park and her fingers twitched anxiously as if they _needed_ to nab something. The rapidly setting sun didn't help to mask how hungry Akko was. Still, she wanted to fight the feeling. Her brain went into combat mode as it always did when the desire to steal festered within her. The part of her that detested her thievery and trickery screamed out to resist, that she had other options available to her. Yet the 'rational' side, which always prevailed, was firm in the belief that this is what had to be done to survive. This was also the side that was tied to her guilt. She couldn't always go to Chariot and Croix with every little thing, even though they repeatedly tried their damndest. Diana was out of the question as well. The girl had already done so much for her, Akko became nauseous at the mere thought of asking her to possibly do more.

No, Akko was very capable on her own; she had been for years now. Everyone who knew her knew she did what she had to.

Yet for some reason there was a part of _her_ that refused to believe that.

Any reassurance she tried to come up with did little to comfort her as she trudged behind her next target, a man with his wallet hanging halfway out his back pocket. With a quick look around for witnesses and deft fingers, Akko snatched the wallet and scurried past the man. Her spoils only amounted to six dollars, but it was enough for a meal. She pocketed the cash and continued heading to the police station. To help alleviate some guilt, she always managed to return the wallet to its owner, whether she approached the person acting like they dropped it or handed it off to Chariot and Croix later.

Even then, she could still feel the bills burning a hole in her hoodie as her hands clenched them harder in a fist.

That small kindling grew to a fiery inferno of a warning as Akko turned the final corner to the station and saw Finneran standing out front talking to a few policemen.

"Really?" Akko groaned aloud. "Again?!"

She could always go one block further down and try to approach the station from behind the chief, but it was still the inconvenience of her being there and always in Akko's _way_ that irritated the brunette. At least she didn't recognize the two cops she was talking to, so maybe they were rookies. Not all the cops at the headquarters knew her face, but the number was still probably over two-thirds.

Even though pestering Finneran was fun, Akko wasn't too keen on doing so in front of an audience. She decided to go the extra length to not get caught and so she turned left at the intersection instead of crossing. The plan worked as she quickly scurried inside the station behind Finneran's back, celebrating her victory internally. Upon entering, she walked past the receptionist with a nervous wave—the lady there had a kind of love-hate relationship with Akko—before immediately seeking out Chariot or Croix.

A flash of red hair was exactly where Akko was hoping it would be, although Croix didn't seem to be around. Grinning regardless, Akko approached.

"Excuse me," she said, attempting to disguise her voice, "I'd like to report a crime?"

Chariot turned in her chair and jumped with a start upon seeing Akko, although the affectionate smile she reserved only for her and Croix appeared on her face instantly after.

"Akko! What brings you by?"

"Just as I said," Akko replied with a chuckle as she pulled the wallet from her hoodie. "It's just...I guess, _I'm_ the crime. Again."

Chariot fixed Akko with her sternest look, but Akko just rolled her eyes. She had become completely immune to it over the years. Chariot couldn't look or sound disappointed or scary in the slightest. Croix would back Akko up.

"How much did you steal?" she asked with a sigh.

"Only six bucks!" Akko retorted. "The guy will hardly notice. And he was just asking for it! His wallet was literally _falling_ out of his pocket!"

Chariot just huffed and copied Akko by rolling her eyes as she spun back around in her chair.

"I'll make sure it gets back to him," she said.

Beaming, Akko sat down on Chariot's desk like always, tossing the wallet down before her.

"So where's Croix?"

"We've hired some new recruits, so Finneran asked her to take one on the beat for the afternoon."

"I was right!" Akko exclaimed, causing Chariot to look up at her curiously. Akko smiled sheepishly. "Finneran's standing right outside. I thought at first she was just being her usual petty self and keeping an eye out for me—she caught me here the other day—but she _was_ talking to two cops I didn't recognize, so I figured they must be new!"

"You can't call the police chief 'petty,' Akko," Chariot reprimanded with a chuckle.

"Then what about mean? Vindictive? An evil spawn of Satan?"

"I personally agree with the last one."

Akko looked over Chariot's shoulder at the new voice and broke out into another huge smile.

"Croix! You're back!"

"I'm guessing you told her?" Croix asked her partner, leaning down to kiss Chariot's cheek as she rounded the desk to her own conjoined one.

"I was curious!" Akko replied. "I came to see _both_ my favorite cops, after all."

"We're flattered as always, Akko," Croix supplied, an edge of sarcasm in her voice. Inclining her head at the wallet on the desk, she added, "I see you took another victim."

"It was only six bucks," Akko and Chariot said at the same time, one with quite a bit less enthusiasm than the other.

"Besides," Akko continued, repositioning herself so she was completely on Chariot and Croix's desks and sitting cross-legged, "I've actually been _really_ good lately!"

"I could tell," Chariot told her honestly.

"Yeah, we haven't been called in to 'apprehend' you for a while now," Croix added with her signature smirk.

Akko stuck her tongue out at the lilac-haired woman who retaliated in the same manner.

"So what's changed?" Chariot asked, genuine curiosity in her voice as she did so.

"I dunno," Akko answered lamely, though her averted eyes and telling blush said all. "I...kinda made a friend? She knows about...me, but she doesn't seem to care, which is awesome. I guess I've just been trying to do better? I did play guitar in the park a few days ago too and made some money then. I've maybe only shoplifted once or twice since I saw you guys last?"

"That's great, Akko," Chariot praised with a big smile that made it all seem worth it to Akko.

"Yeah," Croix agreed, leaning back in her chair casually as she always did. "What's this girl's name?"

As Akko was getting ready to tell them, nearly filled to burst about Diana and how perfect she was, she felt someone come up to the desk. Turning her head slightly out of fear and dread that Finneran was going to quite literally kick her out, she was instead instantly on her feet. A different kind of dread filled her heart.

"Diana!"

Chariot quickly spun in her chair, Croix letting hers fall to the floor as she leaned over her desk. Akko, meanwhile, was frozen in shock.

There Diana stood, heaving as if she had just run a marathon, fists clenched at her sides, head bowed, her hair an uncharacteristic mess, and...

Akko gulped.

Was she crying?

"D-Diana?" she repeated softly as she hesitantly approached the girl. The closer she got, she saw Diana begin to shake. "Are... Are you okay?"

Her wild hair swayed as she shook her head no, and once she looked up, everything Akko was feeling—anxiety, fear, sadness—was overcome by one feeling only.

Anger.

Chariot gasped in the background before mumbling that she would go fetch an ice pack, but Akko hardly heard her over the ringing in her ears, the thumping in her head.

Because Diana was staring back at her, tears streaking down her normally flawless face, with a bleeding gash on her left cheek, and a quickly coloring purple bruise just above it by her eye.

Akko found she couldn't move again. She didn't know what to do. It was obvious who had done this if Diana's stories just hours ago were any indication, but Akko didn't want to assume. Still, her blood continued to boil, especially when she heard Diana's breath hitch as if she was about to cry again.

Akko had finally managed a single step forward before Diana all but lunged into Akko's quickly scrambling arms. Arms were tight around Akko's neck as Diana shuddered up against her, the blonde's wet breaths against Akko's neck only further fueling the rage within her.

But that would have to wait. Diana needed her in this moment, and there was no way in hell Akko wouldn't help.

"I-I was...hoping y-you'd be here," Diana rasped as she tried to regain control of her breathing.

Akko still didn't— _couldn't_ —say anything, but she did tighten her hold around the girl's waist in response.

"Diana, was it?" Croix gently butt in, having come around from her side of the desk. "Why don't you take a seat so we can tend to you and perhaps you can tell us what happened?"

Pulling away from Akko only slightly, she nodded in compliance. Akko offered her Chariot's chair before dashing over to the neighboring desk and snatching the chair there. As she plopped down beside Diana, her hand was immediately back in Diana's. She looked up and offered a small smile, of which Diana didn't return, but she did lace their fingers together tightly.

Chariot had come back with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel and a small first-aid kit. Kneeling down beside Diana, she offered her own comforting smile as she took some antiseptic and a band-aid from the kit.

"Is it okay if I clean you up?" she asked softly.

Diana nodded but clenched Akko's hand even tighter. Akko made sure to squeeze back equally as hard.

"So," Croix began as she cleared her throat somewhat awkwardly, "I'm just going to assume you're the friend Akko was just about to tell us about?"

Diana and Akko both nodded.

"Can we...ask what happened?" the older cop continued with just a bit of hesitancy.

Diana looked down at her and Akko's hands as Chariot continued to clean her cheek. She bit her lip, and Akko knew she was trying her hardest to hide how scared she was.

 _This would be a great time to actually grow a pair and comfort her, genius_ , Akko berated herself.

"It's okay, Diana," she was finally able to croak before clearing her throat and offering another smile. "These are my friends I told you about. Maybe they can help you."

Diana glanced to Akko before looking between Chariot and Croix; both women offered reassuring smiles of their own.

"My... My aunt...s-struck me," she finally revealed in a wavering voice.

As Chariot handed her the ice pack to place on her slightly swelling eye, Croix pulled out a notepad and began furiously scribbling notes.

"Has she ever hit you before?" Croix asked.

"N-No." Diana sniffed. "She's...always yelled at me and _threatened_ to hurt me, but..."

"And how old are you, Diana?"

"S-Seventeen." Her eyes widened as she realized the implications of the question. "B-But you can't charge her with anything! P-Please!"

Croix looked dumbfounded, though Chariot seemed to pick up on the angle Diana was coming from as her smile turned sympathetic.

"But, Diana, she _hurt_ you," Akko emphasized. Her brows furrowed in anger once more as she added, "She deserves to be punished."

"W-What would happen to me, then?" Diana asked, "I'm still not eighteen and-!"

"Don't you worry about foster care, honey," Chariot cut in, squatting back down to Diana's level. "I'm sure we can figure something out until then."

"You could get your family back!" Akko exclaimed then, another smile lighting up her face, her anger seemingly forgotten for the time being. "Diana, you could finally take your place as the rightful heir!"

"Heir?" Croix echoed, looking to Akko curiously.

"Becoming head of my house," Diana began explaining. "My mother was the last head, but when she died, the title went to my aunt because I was too young."

"And she only likes the title because of the power and popularity it gives her!" Akko added certainly, which caused a ghost of a smile to flicker on Diana's face. Akko grinned as she saw it.

"Well, we can make sure you stay out of foster care _and_ help you reclaim your proper title," Croix reassured her with a confident smirk.

"And I'll help too!" Akko added, puffing her chest out proudly. "I'll cover any bases Chariot and Croix can't cover legally."

"Akko..." Chariot half-heartedly scolded with a sigh.

"What?" Akko questioned with a shrug. "You know I'll do it anyway."

"That's the problem," Croix muttered under her breath.

Akko noticed Diana watching the entire exchange with a soft smile on her face, her grip on Akko's hand loosening as she relaxed. Diana set the ice pack down on Chariot's desk and Akko felt some relief wash over her upon noticing the bruise already fading even just so slightly. Diana glanced back to Akko briefly before addressing the two cops once more.

"I, um... I know my aunt has taken several precautions to keep me from becoming head for as long as possible," she began trying to explain. "I don't know how much of those measures are illegal, but I know she isn't above bending the rules." Bitterly, she added, "She thinks she's untouchable."

"You'll have to forgive my ignorance in this, but is there any documentation from when your mother passed?" Croix asked. Chariot, meanwhile, had commandeered Croix's desk and was busy doing research on inheritance laws. "Even her will could shed some light on things."

"Aunt Daryl has that under tight lock and key," Diana answered with a frown. "She keeps anything about my mother, the family, anything she deems important enough, locked inside her office. I've tried to pick the lock several times, but have either had no luck, or she's caught me in the process."

"And she never hit you or anything then?"

Diana shook her head. "Honestly, I always ran before she had the chance to."

Croix continued to write on her notepad. "Then may I ask what happened tonight that was different?"

Akko felt Diana squeeze her hand again as she noticed the tips of her ears tint pink. Akko looked to Croix who just mouthed, _"comfort her,"_ back.

"I-It's okay, Diana," Akko was saying before she realized it. "You're not at fault here, and none of us will let your aunt get away with any of this."

Diana took a deep breath before she looked to Akko instead of Croix or Chariot and said, "I...stood up to her."

Akko smiled faintly, a small surge of pain bubbling in her before it faded to uncertainty. Part of her had a feeling Diana wouldn't have done any of this if she hadn't known Akko.

Was she a bad influence on Diana?

Had she gotten Diana hurt indirectly?

"Well, your coming to us should be enough to get a subpoena to at least bring your aunt in for some questioning," Croix explained, though Akko was only listening half-heartedly now, her mind still at war with her heart. "And don't worry," Croix added with a small smirk upon seeing Diana's fear flare, "we won't actually arrest her. We'll put that off for as long as possible. Though if she doesn't comply this time, arrest may be the only option."

"But you're so close to eighteen, Diana, I don't see why social services would put you in foster care for just a few months," Chariot spoke up to comfort. "Especially if we are able to prove your succession in your family, I don't see why anyone would have a problem with you taking up the title a bit early."

Akko managed to snap herself out of it for the time being as she processed all her friends had just said. It all sounded like a plan to her; a good one too.

The only thing left to take care of was where Diana would stay until her aunt was brought to justice. Nervous jitters took over as Akko mulled over one certain possibility.

"O-Okay," was all Diana responded with a small nod.

Croix looked between the blonde and Akko for a moment before finishing up with, "Do you...have somewhere you can go for tonight?"

Diana looked down, but not after flashing Akko a pleading look. "I... I think so."

Akko took the plunge.

"You do," she said confidently, protectively, and with another clench of Diana's hand. She looked to Croix and Chariot and gave them her most serious look. "I'll take care of her."

Chariot and Croix seemed comfortable with the idea as they didn't refute her. Soon, with just a bit more information on Diana's part, she and Akko were standing outside the police headquarters. The sun had completely set by now, and there was a slight chill in the air. Akko gulped.

"So..." she started, though unsure how to continue.

Diana beat her to it, though she seemed equally as unsure, as if afraid she was overstepping her boundaries.

"Can I...stay with you tonight?"

Akko shifted her beanie as she look down at the sidewalk. "I mean, of course, but I... You know I- I don't..."

Diana took a step closer to Akko and took both of her hands this time, the smile she gave Akko once she met her eyes warming Akko's heart and making any uncertainty retreat to the shadows.

"I don't care, Akko," she said with conviction. "I just..." Now Diana was the one to look away. "I'd like for you to stay with me for now."

"Don't you mean _you_ stay with _me_?" Akko jabbed softly with a gentle nudge and wink.

Diana blushed and Akko's confidence grew as her body warmed.

"That too..." she mumbled shyly.

"I'd be happy to let you stay with me, Diana," Akko told her with just as much conviction as the blonde. When Diana looked to her and smiled, Akko felt one twitch across her lips. "Do you need...anything from your place? Won't you have school tomorrow?"

They had begun walking by now, and Diana simply shrugged as she looked down at their feet.

"I can miss one day," she said. "I've never skipped, or even taken a sick day, but it had always been out of fear. But now..."

"Your aunt doesn't have control over you anymore, Diana. I'm sure you'll be fine if you miss one day. If anyone deserves to skip a day, it's you."

Diana chuckled softly. "I suppose so."

"Have you...eaten anything?"

"No, but I'm...not really hungry."

Akko nodded silently and they continued their walk. Their journey was completed in silence, though at some point Diana had reached for Akko's hand once more. Akko let their hands slide together, and identical grins spread upon their faces as they shyly observed each other from their peripherals.

Soon enough, Akko was leading them around the final corner.

"So, I know you said you don't care, but...for my sake let me say something first," Akko spoke, bringing them to a stop at the entrance to the alley where she lived. "While this might be an upgrade from the slide in the park, it's still quite literally a hole in the wall. But...it's always been enough for me. There's a roof, it insulates well surprisingly, and..."

Akko felt a gentle touch on her cheek, and let her head be moved until she was caught up in compassionate blue lakes.

"It's okay, Akko," Diana repeated. "It's enough for me as well."

Akko chuckled nervously as she started down the alley. "I hope you still think that in a second."

She could feel Diana curiously taking in her surroundings—though they couldn't amount to much, Akko thought—and observing her as she slid the wooden board aside, revealing the hole that served as her doorway. She turned back to Diana and gave an unsure smile.

"L-Ladies first?" She carefully led Diana forward until the girl was bending down ever so slightly to pass through. "Just...watch your head."

Akko quickly scurried inside after her and retreated to a corner to grab a flashlight. Praying its batteries weren't dead, she flipped the switch, thanking her lucky stars when light emerged and worked to brighten the dark space. She quickly went to slide the door back into place before spinning to face Diana.

Luckily, though the hole made it seem otherwise, the interior was big enough to stand to their full height in, and spacious enough that they weren't right on top of each other. Still, Akko couldn't help worrying that Diana would judge her living conditions.

Then the better part of her decried that Diana had proven time and time again that she would never judge Akko.

"How did you manage to come across this place?"

Rearranging her bed of blankets to give herself something to do with her nervous energy, Akko eventually gestured for Diana to sit down.

"I just saw the hole one day and noticed it was big enough to get through without much effort," Akko replied with a shrug once she was sitting beside Diana. "I guess this room used to be some kind of storage or closet?" She gestured to a metal door that hid back in a corner. "I tried that door to see what else was out there, but it won't budge."

"It's cozy," Diana said with a smile. "And I'm not just saying that. You've simply made use with the resources you had again and I think that's admirable."

Now it was Akko to blush. "T-Thanks."

They looked away from each other briefly, both quite aware of the volatile energy surrounding them. Finally, Akko broke it.

"I wish I had some food or something to offer you. I'm...kinda a lousy host."

Diana giggled and Akko's cheeks heated even further.

"I suppose I can forgive you."

"But!" Akko chirped, fishing out the bills from earlier. "I do have some money! Maybe tomorrow I can...treat you to breakfast?"

"With six dollars?" Diana teased, and Akko knew she didn't intend it with any rudeness, so she just grinned.

Reaching between the gap between the blankets and the wall, Akko retrieved her emergency funds, jiggling the bag before Diana.

"Um, excuse you, with _eleven_ dollars, thank you very much."

"Forgive me," Diana replied with another titter. Her expression softened before fixing Akko with a look that had the brunette shivering. "I'd be happy to accompany you, Akko."

"G-Great!" Looking away only briefly, she focused back on Diana. "Are you tired? Or...I could play my guitar? Or we can just t-talk?"

 _Not like I'm hiding a TV or laptop in here or something..._ she grumbled bitterly.

Akko noticed Diana biting her lip and averting her gaze. She knew well enough by now that meant the blonde was insecure about something, and Akko found herself quickly becoming the same way naturally.

"Would it be alright if we just went to sleep?" Diana asked hesitantly. "I'm...a bit tired."

"N-No!" Akko immediately cried, her desire to make Diana as comfortable as possible taking her over. "I totally get it! Um...I have one shirt and a pair of sweatpants you can sleep in if you want... A-And there's plenty of blankets to share between us."

Diana was still chewing on her lip and the butterflies were still fluttering madly in Akko's stomach.

"I-I'm fine just like this, thank you." She peeked up at Akko, the light and shadow from the flashlight accenting the pink on her cheeks. "B-But...could we...?"

Akko cocked her head and Diana's cheeks flared even more. Then she looked down to her lap with a defeated look on her face.

"Could we what?" Akko repeated softly, honest curiosity in her voice. "Diana, what is it?"

The blonde refused to look at her as she mumbled, voice shaking almost like she was about to cry again, "C-Can I...lay with you?"

Akko was certain steam had to be billowing from her ears by now. Her throat went incredibly dry as she tried to swallow against it.

"O-Of course!" she ended up squeaking, immediately squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment from whatever kind of sound that just was.

Diana smiled and seemed to become slightly more comfortable. Akko, meanwhile, settled back on the mound of blankets stiffly. Every fiber of her being was on fire as Diana settled beside her, close enough that they were touching.

Unbeknownst to her, Diana was having a similar meltdown next to her.

They remained completely still beside each other for a moment, both fearing being the one to make the next move, unsure what the other was expecting or comfortable with. There was no way to know how intimate was too much to the other.

Eventually, it seemed Diana threw caution to the wind as she rolled onto her side facing Akko and snuggled into her side. Akko didn't think she could go any more rigid.

"Is this okay?" Diana mumbled into her hoodie.

"V-Very!" Another squeak.

Akko felt Diana laugh into her side as she playfully poked her. "Are you sure about that? It seems to me you're trying to become one with the blankets."

Akko willed herself to relax. She peered down at Diana who was staring up at her with the most affectionate look she had ever seen from the girl. With trepidation, Akko brought an arm to wrap around Diana, of which immediately burrowed back against her.

"Sorry," Akko whispered, her throat still incredibly dry. "I'm not u-used to..."

"Me neither," Diana finished, her fingers gathering the material of Akko's hoodie in a tight fist. "But...I-I like this."

"Me too..."

The girl beside her fell silent, her breaths becoming even and heavy, and Akko assumed she had fallen asleep. She could see the band-aid on Diana's cheek and just the faintest purple from the dim lighting. Without thinking, Akko let her fingers trail delicately around the bruise, the arm that was holding Diana tightening protectively.

A gentle hum and amiable smile found purchase on Diana's lips. Akko retreated momentarily at the movement and sound, but when Diana didn't give any more indication that she was still awake, Akko found her hand going to stroke thick blonde locks absentmindedly, an easy smile overtaking her own face.

"Good night, Diana," she uttered on a breath to the dark.

Beside her, Diana opened one eye and grinned.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Admittedly, it took Diana a while to remember where she was the next morning. Waking up to near darkness, the only light coming in through a slat in a wooden board, was not familiar to her at all. Even with her blinds completely shut, some sunlight always managed to get through and keep her room well lit throughout the day. It was the warm, shifting body beneath her that caused her memories to come flooding back and her left cheek to tingle.

Aunt Daryl had hit her. _Actually_ hit her. Diana was only the smallest bit surprised last night had been the first time, but it still did little to take away the shock of reality. Did her aunt truly detest her _that_ much? Diana was no fan of Daryl's by any means, but never had she thought of physically harming the other woman. Even her deplorable cousins Diana had only pondered shoving maybe once or twice in her life, but never her aunt. Despite the animosity between them, Daryl was still her elder, and Diana had been raised to respect her elders. To not do so would be casting aside her parent's teachings, and she had vowed to honor them by upholding those life lessons, even if that meant showing respect to someone who deserves nothing.

A soft sigh beneath her had Diana's cheeks warming, and she inclined her head upwards slightly. Akko still slept peacefully, the light from outside illuminating one half of her face as she slumbered. Diana watched with a smile even as her mind replayed scenes from last night.

Diana had run as soon as Daryl had given the order. For a few panic-stricken minutes, she didn't even know where she was going. Where _could_ she go? She had no other family, and Hannah and Barbara had honestly never even crossed her mind. She could hear some part of her urging her to go to the police, and, being the first rational thought, she clung to it and followed through. It was only halfway into town when another thought popped into her head.

Akko.

She had said those two cops were her best friends on several occasions; maybe she would be there? An ache consumed Diana's heart that she knew had nothing to do with its exertion from running. Several tears fell from her eyes as she pushed herself to move fast.

 _Please,_ she pleaded, a single choked sob escaping her on a breath, _please be there_.

Luckily, someone must have been looking out for her as Diana quickly caught sight of a gray beanie and chocolate brown hair once she got to the station. If she hadn't been so exhausted from fleeing, heartbroken from abuse, and panicked from the adrenaline, Diana may have actually looked happy to see Akko. She found her feet moving her closer to the girl without her brain having to give the command, and when Akko spun to face her, those rubies immediately filling with a brief elation before melting to terror, Diana just wanted to cry harder.

Emerging back in the present, Diana didn't hold back from nestling even closer, burrowing even deeper into Akko's side. A smile broke free of any restraint, though Diana tried to hide it in the burgundy hoodie before her.

Had meeting Akko been some kind of fate?

Diana wasn't sure she believed in fate too much, but ever since the brunette had come into her life, it felt like something was more and more at play. How else could someone so easily come into your life and break down carefully constructed walls? How else could one person give you a more positive outlook on your future, make you so certain in yourself and your capabilities? How else could a single girl capture your heart so quickly and effectively you worry it was malfunctioning? Something powerful had to be tugging the strings, for Diana couldn't possibly simply be that lucky, and surely their budding relationship wasn't some joint effort between the two of them.

That was absurd. Diana making a friend on her own?

But was it really that far-fetched of a thought?

The groan that reverberated through her from the body beside and under her was a welcome distraction. Diana looked up just in time to see bleary eyes blink open and she smiled at the blank look they held only momentarily before recognition dawned and those eyes widened to meet Diana's own.

"Good morning," Akko greeted in a sleep-filled mumble. "Did you…sleep okay?"

"'Morning, and yes I did, thank you." Diana let a grin split her face. "You were right, you know. You are pretty comfy."

Akko, who had leaned over as Diana was speaking to grab the nearby flashlight, fumbled the torch momentarily at the jab which caused Diana to snicker. Akko quickly recovered, however, as she turned on the flashlight and aimed the beam at Diana, though careful to avoid her eyes directly. A similar grin was on her face.

"Well, you make a pretty warm blanket," she replied.

"Of which makes an insanely comfortable bed," Diana added thoughtfully, reaching between them to rub one's fabric between her fingers.

"Yeah," Akko chuckled, looking away nervously. "There was a time where I kinda raided Goodwill of all their blankets. I probably looked like a fool carrying them all down the street."

Diana smiled fondly as she kept her focus on the blanket, the red and gray patches almost hypnotizing her to keep her attention.

"How…" Akko cleared her throat as the arm that was still wrapped around Diana tightened. "How are you feeling?"

Diana moved to fiddle with a loose string on Akko's hoodie as she refused to look at her this time. Her free hand came to curl by her chest.

"Okay," she answered, even though both of them knew it was a lie. "I guess I'm…still in shock."

"And your eye?" Akko had a far-off look in her own eyes as her other hand seemed to absently reach across to Diana's cheek. A thumb gently ran over the bruise, causing Diana to shudder from the feel, not to mention the hooded red gaze burning a hole in her. The movement seemed to break the spell Akko was under though as she quickly shook her head, eyes becoming wide with fear and cheeks red with embarrassment, before she looked away from Diana, almost laying on her other hand simply to keep it in place.

Diana's affectionate smile went unnoticed.

"It doesn't hurt," she reassured. "The cut is a bit uncomfortable, but that's all."

Red eyes flashed over to meet hers for only a second before looking away again.

"G-Good."

Silence passed between them, though Diana could feel how stiff Akko had become and decided to put the girl out of her silent suffering.

"I believe someone told me last night they would treat me to breakfast today," she began in an innocent, lighthearted tone, wanting to put Akko at ease once again and assure her Diana hadn't been put off by anything the girl had done. "Do you happen to know if that offer is still available?"

Thankfully, it worked. Akko sat up and finally looked back at her with a grin. Diana returned it with a laugh. This time it was her to look away momentarily as she chewed her lip. A desire left her mind as soon as it entered, and, mustering any remaining courage and dousing any lingering doubt, she leaned towards Akko and kissed her cheek softly. As she pulled back, they were both red in the face, but Diana was certain the light alive in Akko's eyes then would have been enough to fill their dark alcove even without the flashlight.

"Thank you for last night, Akko," she said sincerely. "You… It meant a lot."

"O-Of course!" Akko responded in her usual excited squeak. Then, mellowing considerably, she added just as honestly. "I…want to be there for you, Diana. A-A-Always."

Diana returned the tender smile, and that initial spark between them that had ignited upon their first meeting now fanned into a great flame.

* * *

Diana hadn't been quite confident in what an eleven dollar breakfast would get you, and she was delighted to be shown it wasn't at all what she expected.

The two now sat across from each other in a booth at a bustling 1950's-esque diner. The menu was plentiful—and shockingly cheap, Diana noted with evident surprise—and the plates of food that had gone by so far had looked delectable. Currently, she and Akko were simply nursing a cup of coffee, but with every dish that went by, Diana's stomach cried out more and more.

"This is an amazing little place," Diana spoke her mind. "You never cease to amaze me."

Akko flushed a bit as she shifted in her seat. "Heh, yeah, well whenever I _do_ have money, this is usually where I come. The food is much better than fast food, but it's priced the same. Where else can you get bacon for ninety-nine cents?"

"I am certain I know of nowhere," Diana answered with a chuckle of her own. "So, aside from the bacon, is there anything else you recommend?"

"Ohmigosh, you _have_ to get their potatoes too—if you like potatoes, that is. Please don't eat anything you don't like just for my sake!"

Now Diana was laughing without restraint. Akko's rambles were truly endearing.

"I like potatoes, Akko, have no fear," she assured. "So long as there is not a mushroom in sight, I am fine with just about anything."

Akko slammed her hands on the table so hard then that their coffee nearly splashed onto the table. She leaned forward in her seat, her eyes coming alive again in a way Diana was starting to love almost as much as the girl's rants.

"I hate mushrooms too!"

Diana found herself giggling for the hundredth time, surely. "Well, I'm so glad we have that in common."

Akko simply beamed.

They ordered their meals soon enough, and the rest of their breakfast was spent much in the same way: cracking jokes, telling stories, and doing everything in their power to make the other smile or laugh. When the bill came, Diana almost had to physically restrain herself from offering to pay—she did at least have her wallet and phone on her. Still, she knew this was important to Akko, and so she let her do it. The smile and triumphant laugh from the girl upon seeing their receipt was reward enough.

"Hah! Just enough!" Akko exclaimed, slapping down her eleven dollars on the table. Diana tried not to think about the fact that Akko had just used _all_ her money.

The waitress took their bill with a polite smile—nodding at Akko from familiarity, no doubt—and they were left alone once again. A slightly awkward silence filled the space between them, and Diana's fists clenched around her coffee mug. Across from her, Akko fidgeted in her seat again. Diana didn't try to guess what Akko was thinking about, but she knew she was wondering what would happen next. They hadn't discussed anything beyond this. Was Diana expected to leave? Was she supposed to go crawling back to Daryl? If not, where was she supposed to go? Even the other side of the dilemma didn't assuage her fears. What _if_ Akko invited her to stick around? Could she stay in the brunette's care without the pervasive thought of being a burden? Akko already had herself to worry about day in and day out, Diana couldn't possibly expect to add another weight to her shoulders.

What did she do?

"D-Diana?"

The meekness in Akko's voice caused Diana's heart to clench, and she dreaded looking up. If she did, those haunting rubies would ensnare her and immediately have her at their mercy. She knew what the girl was going to offer, and her stomach rolled with detest.

Yet another part was lifting in hope, ready to jump at the opportunity to say yes.

"If you…don't have anywhere else to go, you can…" Diana could see Akko look away from her as she adjusted her beanie. "We could always hang out more, you know?"

The wording was simple, but the implication was still there, and it was heavy; bearing down on top of Diana, breathing down her neck. Saying yes should be easy and simple; it was just an innocent day with a friend. Diana wasn't quite sure what a typical "hang out" day with a friend was like, but she was keen enough on the activities of her peers to have a general idea.

But the sun would set, she knew, and then what? Akko would surely invite her back to her place. Diana knew without a doubt that Akko would open her home to Diana for as long as she needed. The girl was completely selfless when she had every reason to be anything but. As much as Diana didn't want to think of Akko any differently, she was still homeless. Her own well being should be her first priority, not someone else; not Diana. Diana could easily go back to her posh and lavish lifestyle in a blink. It may be a shot to her pride, but it was still an option. Anna would at least let her back in and hide her away until Daryl cooled down.

 _But that's no way to live. And that place hasn't been my home since mother died,_ Diana raged internally. _It's a house, not a home. I don't belong there. I don't_ want _to belong there. I…_

Diana would have gasped out loud if it wouldn't have been completely random and out of place to do so. A sudden realization hit her hard.

 _I'm…homeless. Not in the same way Akko is, per se, but in this moment right now I am. I have nowhere to go, nowhere I belong. Except…_

Finally, Diana met Akko's eyes. A curious, hesitant, wavering red bore into a thoughtful, enlightened, radiant blue.

And dragged her home.

 _Except with Akko._

A wide smile broke free as she replied, "What did you have in mind?"

Across from her, Akko beamed once more.

"I always had this…fantasy, I guess, of ways I would spend my days if I had someone to spend them with," she began explaining. "We may not be able to watch a movie or anything like that, but there is one thing…"

"And what's that?" Diana prodded, her smile continuing to grow the more Akko started to shy away.

"Promise you won't laugh?" Akko had nearly retreated like a turtle into her hoodie.

"I promise."

"You think we could…just go to the library? I love going there anyway and could stay there for hours. I know it's not real exciting or anything, but I've…always wondered what it would be like to just read in someone else's company."

"Why would I ever laugh at that?" Diana honestly pondered aloud. "That sounds like a lovely idea, Akko."

Akko went beet red and Diana laughed only then.

"C-Cool," she stammered. "Then, are you finished here?"

Diana gestured towards the door. "Lead the way."

Blushes ignited—or reignited, in Akko's case—on both their faces as Akko took Diana's hand and pulled her out the door.

* * *

Diana had spent many a day lost in a book, whether it be fiction or her textbooks, but she could say with confidence that it had never been as enjoyable as it currently was. Upon entering the public library, Akko had spent some time telling Diana about her favorite books before Diana recommended some of her own. Akko then showed her where she had found the guitar piece she had played for Diana—before she banged her head against the bookshelf purposefully for some reason—and confidently stated she would learn more compositions to play at a later date. Eventually, they had each chosen a book, Akko some fantasy novel and Diana a mystery, and Akko led her to the brunette's favorite place to settle down and read. It ended up being a corner in the far back of the second floor, surrounded by the reference section which Akko assured was scarcely visited, making the area her "secluded retreat." There was a plush couch and several comfy chairs by a large window which looked upon a courtyard out back. Diana could immediately tell why Akko loved this spot.

They had started off at opposite ends of the couch—which still only had them about a foot apart from the other—but somewhere along the way Akko had started leaning on Diana, still completely engrossed in her book. Diana didn't dare make any attempt to move her.

It was only several hours later once Diana had finished her own book that she listened to her legs which were screaming at her to stand and stretch. Akko had apparently dozed off at some point as Diana realized the girl had been on page 147 for the past hour. Chuckling, she gently removed the book from Akko's hands, marked the page she was on, and gently shook her shoulder.

"Akko," she whispered. At the first sign of life, she slyly added, "Do you always take naps when you come to the library?"

"Wha-?" Akko lifted her head and looked around before she smacked her forehead in a cartoonish manner. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Well, I can't vouch for the 'again' part, but yes, you did fall asleep."

Akko groaned as Diana finally stood and stretched. "And the book was actually interesting this time!"

"I saved your spot if you wish to return to it," Diana said with a laugh, inclining her head to the book that lay on a nearby table. "Now if you'll excuse me, I am going to run to the bathroom and pick out another book on my way back, since I, unlike _someone_ , actually finished mine."

"Ouch, Diana, that was harsh," Akko said with a mock cringe.

Diana shrugged and turned to walk away. "Don't fault me for the truth."

She would never see Akko stick her tongue out in retaliation.

Just as she said she would, Diana returned to the shelf she had taken her first book from to return it on her way back. Staring at the surrounding titles, she pondered what to read next. She wasn't sure how much longer Akko planned to stay here—not that Diana was complaining—so she didn't know how long of a book she should choose. She was a fairly fast reader, but still…

A group of schoolchildren walking past had her suddenly recalling her absence from school today and she frowned, a wave of guilt washing over her. She _should_ work on a paper she had due soon. After all, she had the perfect opportunity to get all her research out of the way right now. She did enjoy her schoolwork most of the time, except when it had cut into her time with Akko; but now she could do it _and_ be with Akko at the same time. It was the perfect scenario.

Grinning, she quickly left the fiction aisle and turned a corner.

She returned to Akko and immediately had to stifle a laugh behind her hand. The brunette was now upside down on the couch, her head nearly touching the floor and her feet straight up in the air, with book in hand.

"That's attractive. Although you are beginning to turn a bit red in the face, and not by my doing this time."

Akko let the book fall to floor unceremoniously before hauling herself back into a proper sitting position. She smirked.

"Jealous you weren't the cause?"

Diana rolled her eyes. "Oh yes, I'm _so_ jealous of gravity and natural physics."

"You wound me again, Diana."

Diana would have swatted Akko with her book had it not been so dense. Instead, she simply chuckled and took her spot back on the couch. Akko looked down at the new book in her lap and wrinkled her nose.

"A _textbook_?"

"Just because I took today off school doesn't mean I can slack off on my studies," Diana replied with a shrug. "I have a paper due soon, and I'm actually really interested in the topic I chose."

"And what's that?"

Diana opened to the page she had dogeared earlier.

"'Florence Nightingale,'" Akko read the bold heading at the top of the page. "Who's that?"

Diana was teeming with excitement as she answered. "She was the woman who essentially started the standard practice of nursing. She treated soldiers in the Crimean War, and it was only then nursing really came to prominence." She looked to Akko. "Have you ever heard of The Lady and the Lamp?"

Akko shook her head and Diana's smile turned childlike as she began turning pages, bringing the book in between the two of them so Akko could see better.

"Akko, she's basically the reason my family got its fame," she explained. "Before her time, nursing wasn't seen as anything impressive, anything necessary. But she knew its importance. Because proper nursing techniques hadn't been established yet, so many more soldiers, or just civilians in general, were dying of things from which they could have been saved with proper treatment. The nursing school—the _first_ nursing school— _she_ established back in 1860 still exists today at King's College in London. I believe it was my great-great-grandmother who actually studied there during her own time."

"So, even if you don't want to go into the medical field, you're so interested in all this because it's a part of history?" Akko asked.

"It's a _major_ part of history," Diana emphasized. "Doctors or physicians get all the credit in the field, but imagine trying to get well without all the aftercare you receive, all the sanitation precautions. _She's_ the reasons those exist. Before then, a doctor could stitch you up or administer medication, but you were on your own after that. There was no one to watch for infection, or monitor for adverse reactions. Imagine being operated on with dirty instruments, or ones that had simply been wiped down, maybe soaked in unfiltered water at best."

Akko shuddered at the thought. "Okay, so what's up with The Lady and the Lamp?"

Diana turned some pages. "It was a nickname soldiers gave her during the Crimean War. When everyone else had retired for the night, including all the other medical professionals, she would make her silent rounds holding a small lantern, ensuring the ill were recovering alright. Her dutifulness in her field saved countless lives; on the battlefield and off."

Akko chuckled softly from beside her before Diana could feel her staring. Glancing up, she blinked, her joy submitting to uncertainty.

"What?"

Akko just laughed again. "Nothing, you just… Diana, if you don't become a teacher down the line, I'm going to call you insane."

She felt her cheeks heating up as she—perhaps stupidly—asked, "Why?"

"Did you not just hear yourself?" Akko took the textbook from her and started flipping through the pages on her own. "You took maybe ten minutes lecturing me about Florence Nightingale, and now I feel like I could write an entire essay on her myself. That, or I'm very tempted to find more material to learn even more about her." Akko fixed her with a stare, her eyes shimmering with something Diana couldn't name. "You make learning _fun_ , Diana. Hell, you don't even make it _learning_ like it's a task. You immerse yourself in the history and bring the past to life. I've never been the person who would willingly sit through a history lesson about someone's family history, or some woman who did some thing in some war, but you _made_ me want to. You held my attention. It's not history to you, it's… _passion_."

Overcome, Diana looked away, quite aware her cheeks were now burning, her ears as well.

"I-I mean… _m-maybe_ …"

Akko scoffed lightheartedly. "Oh, don't be so modest. If you had taught at the orphanage I would have never left the classroom."

"Do you have any passions?" Diana asked then, anything to get the spotlight off of her.

Akko rolled her eyes, and Diana could hear the unnamed dark bite to her words as she quipped, "You mean besides thievery?"

"Akko, I know you're not passionate about that," she deadpanned, watching for the exact moment the strange darkness retreated. Akko never looked any worse for wear; like she wasn't even aware of her change in attitude. "That's what you do to survive. But what about your hobbies? _Your_ passions? Like, guitar."

Akko shrugged. "I dunno… Music's great and I enjoy it and all, but… I guess I'm not passionate enough about it to do anything with it."

"You would never want to play for an audience?"

Another shrug, and it appeared Akko was closing in on herself, the last thing Diana wanted. Quickly she tried turning the tables on Akko by asking her the same questions she had previously asked Diana.

"Well, what _is_ a passion of yours?" she tried again, adding, "What would you want to study in school?"

"You're gonna laugh…"

Dianna did, but not for the reason Akko thought she would. "Akko, you said that earlier and I didn't; I'm not going to now under different circumstances. What you like is not for me to mock or make fun of, and I would never."

Akko squeezed her eyes shut as she reluctantly admitted, "I don't know."

"Well, it's perfectly okay to not have any fascinations," Diana said gently. "You can still enjoy things without being enthralled by it."

"Yeah…" Akko didn't sound convinced. "I've never given it much thought because I figured I'd never be able to actually follow through on anything, so what's the point? I know it's good to have dreams to aspire to, but to me it just seems silly. For me, they'll always be just that: dreams."

Diana frowned at Akko's gradual emotionless tone, and she regretted prodding into Akko's mind. She understood the girl's thought process, and although she wanted to try and lift her spirits—the rags-to-riches idea existed for a reason—Diana knew from prior experiences that she could well set the girl off, or at the very least bring back that looming shadow.

And so, afraid to press the matter forward, Diana backed away completely.

Or, she tried…

"It's getting a little late," Diana pointed out, hoping her changing the topic wasn't completely obvious. "Are you hungry again? I could repay you for breakfast and we could-."

Akko cut her off with a violent shake of her head. She still wasn't looking at Diana, although Diana could see that she was glaring at the floor.

"You've already done too much for me," Akko muttered. "I can't let you waste your money on me."

Diana scooted closer as she replied, "It's not a waste, Akko, it's something I want-."

Akko stood suddenly and Diana gulped at the fury raging in the girl's eyes. This was something completely different than before. This was a vicious beast clawing its way out of Akko, something that had likely been laying dormant but could no longer.

 _"Well I_ don't _want you to!"_

Diana froze immediately, shocked from the anger pouring from Akko's being.

"You're just like Chariot and Croix, always trying to coddle me! I don't need you to take care of me! I don't need anything!"

Tears were streaming down Akko's cheeks now and Diana's heart was breaking.

"I don't care if you're rich and buying me dinner wouldn't even be something you'd miss, but it's a big deal to me! You don't understand how precious money is! None of you do!"

Diana tried once more to reach out. "But Akko-!"

Akko's fists clenched, her posture went rigid, and Diana shut her mouth.

 ** _"I don't deserve_ anything _!"_**

And then Akko was gone.

* * *

 **Only with me can there be absentminded fluff and flirting about potatoes and mushrooms and then go straight into…** _ **that**_ **just a few pages later. Um… Bye?**


	11. Chapter 11

**Should there be a trigger warning for a shit-ton of emotion? Because yikes, guys...**

* * *

 **Chapter Eleven**

Akko was still seething when she stopped running. Her chest was heaving, her head was pounding, and her palms were bleeding from her clenched fists. She barely even registered where her feet had unconsciously led her, and once she did realize she hardly even cared. She had just needed to get away. Away from the window into a perfect life that she could never have, away from the girl who was luring her through said window like a siren led sailors to their demise. With a huff, she looked up at the building before her. It was barely standing, its windows were boarded up, paint was peeling off the door, trash lined the alley, and the streetlamp on the corner flickered like it would give out any second.

This was where she belonged: Amongst all the filth and darkness; where dreams go to die, not be born.

Once her heart slowed to a calmer rhythm, she squared her shoulders, wiped her hands on her jeans, clenched her jaw, and opened the door. The smell of drugs and alcohol immediately pervaded her senses, and she could hear the token profanities and blaring TV coming from down the hall. She robotically walked towards the ruckus.

"Yo, Akko!" Amanda greeted, only sounding marginally surprised to see her. "Come to chill?"

"Blow off some steam, more like," Akko grumbled as she approached, hands stuffed deep in her hoodie pocket.

"Totally get it, dude, totally get it." Amanda led her into a small adjacent room which seemed to serve as the bar. Every available surface was taken up by some kind of liquor. The redhead snapped her fingers at the three girls standing by a table and ushered them out, giving her and Akko the room. "Can I make you anything? Wanna do some shots?"

"Tequila," Akko answered instantly, partially unaware she had even done so. Who cared. She felt numb and wanted to feel even more so.

"Hardcore today, aren't we?" Amanda quipped with a smirk.

"Just shut up and pour."

She chuckled as she grabbed two cracked shot glasses and filled them with Akko's drink of choice.

"I like you pissed off," she japed as she handed a glass to Akko.

Their glasses clinked together before both of them downed the drinks, Akko immediately reaching for the bottle of tequila and pouring herself another shot. That was quickly followed by two more. Amanda looked on with a raised eyebrow before finally having the decency to look the slightest bit concerned.

"Dude," she said with a nervous laugh, "take it easy. You don't go hard like the rest of us, this stuff'll fuck you up big time."

"Good," Akko grumbled.

She started to pour what would have been her fifth shot when Amanda, seeing the brunette's shaking hands and increasing glazed look in her eyes, snatched the bottle away and replaced it with a can of beer. Akko glared at her briefly before shrugging and walking out of the room.

She would never know of the emptiness and lack of care that Amanda had seen in her eyes, its intensity so great and dark that it had even caused the hardened rebel to shiver.

Akko walked out of the room to find most of the girls had deserted the room. The deeply rooted reasonable Akko sighed in relief; at least her pitiful display wouldn't be seen by too many. She collapsed on the couch, stretching out its length and opening her beer. Before long, Amanda joined her, lifting her legs up only briefly before they were falling into the redhead's lap.

"So," the other girl said. "You wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Another answer devoid of any emotion.

"Uh, maybe your sudden love of drinking? Why you sound like a creepy AI thing from those sci-fi movies?"

Akko just shrugged and took another swig of her beer, pointedly ignoring Amanda's bewildered gaze.

"I _know_ something's wrong, Akko," Amanda added with a roll of her eyes. "You don't just show up here of your own free will. _Ever_."

Akko let her eyes flicker over to Amanda for only a second before she was looking again at the far wall. "I just…" She closed her mouth, her face twisting as she tried to put her thoughts into words. How was she supposed to express the turmoil going on inside her? How did you put a name to the constant overwhelming feel of unworthiness? Still glowering at the wall, she posed, "Do you ever feel…angry at your situation?"

Amanda arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Akko huffed. Here it goes…

"Like… Surely you want more than this in life?" She gestured to the decrepit area around them. "Do you think you…deserve it?"

Amanda chuckled once more. "Akko, I don't even deserve this little hellhole. On that note, what makes you think anyone deserves anything?" As Akko finally looked her way, she grinned. "Do all the billionaires in the world _deserve_ that wealth? Do the terminally ill _deserve_ their condition? Life's what you make it. If you go through it thinking you do or don't deserve certain things, you'll never get anywhere; you'll never really live."

Akko didn't respond, instead choosing to remain silent as she idly turned her can of beer in her hands, gnawing on her lip all the while. Amanda rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time.

"What brought about this depressing outlook on life?"

Yet again, Akko shrugged. "I don't know. I met someone and she's… Part of me feels like I don't," she looked to Amanda with a guilty smile, "deserve her friendship. Like, I'm just this street kid who no one's ever loved and she's…"

"Don't you dare say perfect," Amanda cut in with a cringe. "I'm gonna stop you right there, dude, and stop saying that damn d-word. You may live on the streets and she could be the fanciest schmanciest lady that ever lived, but you don't _not_ deserve her friendship, and she doesn't _deserve_ someone 'better.' Does she know?"

Akko nodded this time. "I told her," she mumbled.

"Have you seen her since?"

Another nod.

"Then clearly you're doing something right even being homeless," Amanda told her. "Just because you have the shit end of the stick now doesn't mean you have to carry it around with 'ya the rest of your life."

"What about you?" Akko asked, watching as Amanda snagged the beer from Akko and took a quick sip. "Have you ever tried…passing the torch or whatever?"

"No, but unlike you, apparently, I'm happy as things are. I've got a cool crew of people around me, and even though it isn't any mansion, I've got a roof above my head. Yeah, I steal and get into trouble, and maybe I should actually try and stop that, but I'm young. _We're_ young. You've got time to change, Akko."

Akko sat up, but had now turned her gaze to the floor. After a while of ruminating thoughts, she downed the rest of her beer in a single gulp and looked to Amanda with a small smirk.

"When did you turn into a philosopher?"

Amanda took a turn to stretch out now, one shoe coming up to kick Akko's chin lightly before coming to rest in Akko's lap this time.

"I've got many talents you're unaware of." She reached into a cooler by the couch and pulled out two more beers, tossing one to Akko. "Now, come on. Drink that, loosen up some more, and let's wreck each other in a video game or something. I hate getting all sentimental like this."

She made to get up when Akko spoke again, her voice quiet, but filled with the most emotion since she had arrived.

"So you're…happy?"

Amanda looked to Akko.

"I am."

Akko closed in on herself as her knuckles turned white from her grip on her beer.

"And you're not."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "I just… I want more, Amanda. Maybe you're right; maybe I don't deserve it, and no one deserves anything, but is it wrong to think like that? I've fought every day of my life, even when I lived at that damn orphanage. It's hard. I just… I just want a…f-family. I want someone to l-love me."

She was aggressively wiping away tears as Amanda came to sit beside her again. A hand came to rest on her head, Amanda ruffling the hair atop it along with her response.

"You have people who love you, dude," she tried her best to convince. "Look at those two cops who are always looking after you. I wish I had someone like that, you know? But I don't, and you do. And your new friend? I dunno about love, but if she didn't leave you after learning about your situation, I'd say she's someone pretty special, and I haven't even met her."

Akko sniffed, but didn't reply.

"And I know we don't have much, and you may not feel like you belong, and I know I've given you hell ever since we met, but you know you have a family here, right? I know it's not the storybook picket fence and a dog shtick, but it's something. These girls are family to me, and they could be to you if you really wanted it."

Finally, a small smile found purchase on Akko's lips, although it could have just been the alcohol finally taking effect, her vision _was_ becoming a bit hazy.

"Thanks, Amanda."

Amanda patted her back with a chuckle. "Seriously this time though… Mario Kart or Smash? I think I've had enough mushy-gushy to last me a lifetime."

"Mario Kart sounds good."

A controller came flying at Akko and she haphazardly tried to catch it. She blinked and shook her head, squinting at the TV which sat only a few feet away.

She was going to get creamed.

"You asked for it, dude," Amanda laughed.

They spent quite some time mindlessly—in Akko's case, anyway—playing video games. Akko wasn't even quite sure how much time even passed, everything had long since become a blur as she unwisely continued to accept the beers Amanda was handing her. Akko didn't even know how she could possibly be any fun to be playing against. She kept running into walls and forgetting to hold down the gas button in Mario Kart, and she kept walking right off the arena in Smash Bros without Amanda having to deal a single blow. The redhead, meanwhile, was having a time with it if her laughter was anything to go by. Akko supposed it probably _was_ amusing to an outsider. She was still coherent enough to realize she was making an absolute fool out of herself.

But her mind was clear of any negative feelings and all that was present instead was a pleasant hum, so it was still mission accomplished in Akko's eyes. She couldn't even remember why she had come here in the first place.

After seeing Kirby fall to its death for what had to be the twentieth time, Akko huffed and let the controller drop to the floor.

"I'm done, dude," she slurred, closing her eyes as she let her head rest on the back of the couch. "I dunno how you can even tell what you're doing in this game."

Amanda scoffed as she plopped down beside Akko. "I believe we already established how much of a lightweight you are, Akko," she teased. "Learn to hold your liquor and then we'll have a rematch."

"I've had like five shots and a hundred beers!" Akko cried. "You're lucky I'm not passed out on the floor right now!"

"You've had four shots and six beers," Amanda corrected while rolling her eyes. "That may be some outstanding record to you, but it's nothing to write home about here. Any of my girls could have you beat easy."

Akko mirrored Amanda's eye roll and replied as she stood, "Well, whatever. I accomplished what I came here to do-."

"And what was that?" Amanda guffawed at the brunette's stumble to her feet. "To get shitfaced?"

Akko glared. "-so I'm heading home." Seeing Amanda's grin, she added, "And I don't need an escort."

The redhead shrugged, watching Akko fumble her way to the door. "Suit yourself. Just don't get caught by Finneran and come whining to me."

Flipping Amanda the bird, Akko made her way out of the building...

And promptly threw up upon getting outside.

"Eugh," she grimaced as she wiped her mouth, "that probably wasn't my best idea."

Despite her route basically being a straight shot down eight blocks, the trip tonight seemed much more tedious. Drink heavy in her stomach, hard liquor and beer mingling together, her mind was thick with fog as she navigated the streets. Her eyelids were drooping, and the stoop of an abandoned building never looked more inviting. Still, part of her urged her on; she would kick herself in the morning if she found out she failed to make it the short distance home.

Still, as her shoulder scraped up against the brick wall of a building, she blinked her weighted eyes open. Miraculously, she had made it to the busy intersection that marked the halfway point of her journey. She watched the cars blurring by with a dopey look before attempting to shake herself out of the haze that surrounded her.

She took a single step onto the street before a car horn blaring had her falling backwards from the shock. The noise reverberated in her head, adding more salt to her many wounds, and she clenched her jaw. She stayed on the ground a moment longer until she couldn't see any lights coming at her.

She tried again.

Another single step forward before her own equilibrium betrayed her and she fell forward this time. She caught herself on hands and knees and couldn't even feel the pain of the asphalt beneath her. She was becoming frustrated now, any lingering high from her binge leaving her. Why was this so difficult?

It was there, on all fours in the middle of a dark street, that a single image of blonde hair and searching blue eyes flashed in her mind. Akko grit her teeth as a single tear trailed down her cheek, her burning eyes a tell of many more to come. Self-hate and guilt were knocking at the door again; it was only a matter of time before they broke in.

What was the point?

She was a waste of space.

Disheartened and defeated, Akko let go from the cliff she had been clinging to the past several years of her life and fell. She didn't care what was waiting for her down below.

The darkness swallowed her.

* * *

 _B... ...ep..._

 _Bee... B...p..._

Her body felt like lead. Her breath was hot against her own face. There was a persisting tingle in her forearm. An annoying pressure on her finger that wouldn't cease.

 _...eep... Beep..._

 _Beep... Beep..._

And that repetitive sound was so _grating_.

But she couldn't get her eyes to open, her lids felt glued shut.

She groaned.

"Akko?"

She could feel a presence beside her now but _still couldn't open her eyes_. The voice was hauntingly familiar and Akko simply wanted to succumb to it. She tried to speak this time but her throat was so dry it hurt. All that ended up manifesting was a very unflattering hack.

"Should we get the doctor?"

That voice again, bleeding with concern. Akko still couldn't quite place it, but she accepted its being as her guardian angel. They were with her through this harrowing—and quickly becoming terrifying—experience. Akko flexed her hand.

A feather-light touch graced her palm then, its movements hesitant. Akko reached again and then her hand was surrounded with reassuring warmth.

"I'm right here, Akko."

The warmth spread through her body and chased away the overbearing weight that had been pressing on her chest. Her hand twitched before successfully capturing something in her grasp.

Her eyelids fluttered briefly before they were blinking tentatively, the bright artificial lighting of the room blinding her temporarily.

"Akko!"

Her eyes lazily moved to the left of her before widening substantially. She attempted to speak again, but something pressed over her mouth was keeping her from doing so. Panicking, all she could do was cough.

"Hold on, Akko!" Careful hands pulled the air mask away from her face before Akko was choking on the air she was gasping so heavily. "Easy, easy... Just breathe, Akko. Breathe."

Her breathing slowly went back to a normal measure, the scare over. She was awake and...

In a hospital room?

Taking a quick inventory of her body, she saw she had been changed into the standard hospital gown. There was an IV in her left arm—the source of the tingle, she guessed—and a pulse monitor on her right index finger—the constant pressure.

"Here," the voice from before cut in gently. A plastic cup was being offered to her. "Drink this. It would best if you drank all of it."

Her shaky hands tipped the proffered cup towards her chapped lips and she greedily sucked it down. Water had never tasted so good or been so healing. She was in so much bliss that she ignored the substantial amount of it that missed her mouth and dribbled down her gown instead.

Cup emptied, Akko met relieved blue eyes and smiled.

"D-Diana."

The blonde beside her held her composure together for only a second longer before a sob escaped her and she lunged towards Akko. Akko was engulfed in a hug that somehow managed to be soft enough not to injure her, but still felt like a bear hug at the same time.

"We were so worried about you."

"We?" Akko echoed once Diana had pulled back, the blonde's cheeks red no doubt from her outburst.

Letting her eyes trail to the foot of her bed then, Akko saw two familiar faces. She didn't know whether to break out into a grin, or cower in fear.

"H-Hey, Officer du Nord. Croix."

Both women, while looking relieved, still managed to stare Akko down in such a way that she gulped.

"What do you remember, Akko?" Croix asked, arms crossed and jumping right into the thick of things as she always did.

"Um..." Akko trailed off, looking around the room meekly. Now even Diana was glaring subtly at her. "I- uh..."

"You ran away," Diana supplied with a hint of bite. "You left me in a library worried over the fact that I had made you so upset. You left me in a library feeling hurt; like a door had just slammed shut in my face."

Akko looked down at the bed sheets covering her lap shamefully, her fingers running over the fabric as a means of comfort.

"I-I'm...sorry, Diana..."

Diana looked down at her own lap as well where her hands were wringing together. Akko's heart began to break as she saw two tears trail down alabaster cheeks.

"I just wanted to help..." she mumbled brokenly.

Akko now clenched the sheets in her hands, trying to get her emotions under control. She had never heard Diana sound so...distraught. Guilt ravaged her, but more emotions wanted in on the action as well. Anger, frustration, longing, and fear were all present as well, and all were begging to be released, clamoring over each other to be expelled first.

Akko clenched her eyes shut.

She felt a weight settle on her bed by her hip and a tender hand traced her cheek. When she opened them, Chariot was sitting beside her on her right, token loving smile glowing. The woman's thumb brushed a tear away gently.

Akko came undone.

There was no way to adequately describe what she was feeling; what she had always felt for as long as she could remember. All she knew was that it was all self-deprecating, and it had beat her down every day until she became desensitized to it and it become her new normal.

"I just feel so...so _w-worthless_ ," she openly wept as Diana and Croix joined Chariot on different spots on Akko's bed, Diana's hand in hers and stroking her knuckles while Croix rubbed her knee. "B-But then you guys s-still treat me like I-I'm someone sp-special and I just don't know h-how or why. I b-break the law all the time but my b-best friends are cops!" She looked to both Chariot and Croix, though neither said anything, choosing instead to let Akko get everything off her chest. They would have their turn later.

Akko then looked to Diana, who offered a tentative crooked smile. "T-Then I met you, D-Diana and..." She sniffed, her hand trembling in the other's. "I met you and y-you...you're the person I w-wish so badly I could be. S-Sure, your life's not _perfect_ , but you s-still are in my eyes and I just... I enjoy h-hanging out and being t-together, but it...it also just h-hurts _so bad_. And then I talked to A-Amanda about w-what we deserve in l-life, and even though s-she disagrees, I just can't stop feeling like I don't d-deserve a-anything.

"I'm just some homeless punk who never has more than twenty dollars to her name." Akko had calmed a bit now, but now that the sobbing had subsided, that feeling of emptiness was back. She didn't know which one she preferred. "I break the law regularly, I eat out of trashcans, I'm going nowhere in life..." She shrugged, pulling her hand from Diana's as she brought her knees up to her chest. "Why do I deserve any of the kindness you all have shown me? What's there about me to like?"

The room fell into silence then. A few straggler tears fell from Akko's eyes as they carefully analyzed the three individuals before her. Each of them had tears of their own in their eyes, and for the life of her, Akko couldn't figure out why. All that came to mind was pity, and that had her choking on another sob at the realization.

"I guess I'm just afraid you all have stuck around out of pity," she mumbled.

 _That_ got Chariot's attention.

"Akko!" she scolded.

"No!" Diana added, voice cracking at the end from the strain.

"Then why?" Akko asked, and this time there were no words tinged with darkness, no looming self-deprecation, just an honest question filled with nothing but pure disbelief.

Chariot's stern look morphed back into a smile. "You are far too hard on yourself, Akko," she said. "And while I understand where that mentality comes from, I wish for it not to consume you, for there are so many other qualities about you that are the reasons everyone in this room loves you."

"You've had a hard life, kiddo, we know that," Croix added. "But that doesn't mean you have to be so hard on yourself as well."

"It's not something that's going to change overnight, we know that; but please. Akko," Diana chimed in, "you have to start by respecting _yourself_."

"And please don't _ever_ mistake our willingness to help you as pity," Chariot pleaded. "The only thing we pity is that you can't yet see why you are worth it."

Akko looked to Croix next since it appeared they were taking turns addressing her. Croix flashed her usual cocky smile, and Akko felt the knot inside her start to unbind just the slightest bit.

"You're stuck with us," the older cop said. "I don't think I could devote this much heart to someone even if I _did_ pity them."

"Croix!"

Diana chuckled softly before taking her turn. Once more, she took Akko's hand.

"I didn't even _know_ your situation when we met," she started. "It wasn't your homelessness that led me to befriend you, Akko; it was you. You're so much more than you think you are, and I know it's a hard habit to break, but you can't keep comparing yourself to the success of others. That's what I had been doing all my life; comparing my footsteps with those of my ancestors. But once I was shown I didn't have to conform, that there was no use comparing my successes to people who will never even see them, that I was _free_ to live _my_ life...that's when I truly came alive."

Her hand tightened around Akko's her eyes seeking out Akko's own. Cool ocean waves of blue spread to overbearing pools of red magma and began dousing the heat that had been engulfing Akko's heart.

"You taught me that, Akko."

Finally, a small shy smile flickered onto Akko's lips. It was brief, but it was there, and it was real.

"I did?"

Diana's smile was large and prominent as she nodded with certainty.

"You did."

Akko bit her lip as she looked down at her covered lap once more, although she refused to relinquish Diana's hand this time. Her brows furrowed and her brain worked furiously to comprehend all that had been revealed to her.

She still found it hard to believe. Good things didn't happen to her. She wasn't supposed to feel happy.

But why? Why did she believe that to be so certain that even the words of the three people that meant the most to her still couldn't get through?

"Like Diana said," Chariot spoke up once more, "we don't expect you to change your way of thinking overnight; we have no right to expect that of you. We always knew something was constantly troubling you, Akko, and while I wish you had told us sooner under better circumstances, I'm glad to know the truth now. Especially because it was on your own terms."

"To an extent, I guess," Akko mumbled, eliciting a small laugh from all four of the room's inhabitants. "I wouldn't call a confession after being plastered 'on my own terms.'"

"Then, please, Akko," Diana said, "next time you feel troubled like this _come to us_. I can't imagine the baggage you carry, but please know that we are here for you. We just want you to be happy and see yourself how we see you."

Flushing, Akko glanced briefly to Diana before mumbling, "And how's that?"

Diana smirked, her hand grasping Akko's tightly one last time.

"Strong," she uttered, causing Akko to suppress a shiver.

"Independent," Chariot added.

"A firecracker," Croix tacked on, smirking herself. "But in the best way."

Another small laugh escaped Akko before she wiped at her damp eyes.

"Thanks you guys," she said in a wavering tone. "I'm sorry I...had you all worried. And that I've been...difficult in the past. I'll try and do better."

"And that's all we can ask," Chariot told her before leaning in to hug her. Akko let go of Diana's hand only then.

By the time Chariot had pulled back, Croix put her hand on the woman's shoulder and sent her a particular look. Akko looked back and forth between her friends.

"What?" she asked.

With a nod from Croix, Chariot let out a big breath before reaching into the pocket of her police jacket. Croix scooted closer to Chariot and Akko as she did.

"We...have something to tell you, Akko," Chariot began, Akko's stomach rising to her throat at the nervous edge to the cop's voice. "We could never decide the best time to bring it up, but..."

"Seeing that you feel at your lowest point, I think it's finally time you heard it from us."

Akko looked to Diana briefly who looked just as confused as she did.

"Is it...bad?"

Both women broke out into shaky laughter and looked to each other.

"Of course not," Chariot answered, and Akko could see her fingering a piece of tri-folded paper in her hands now. "We just hope it's something you would want as much as Croix and I do."

With one last glance at her partner, and a final nod from Croix, Chariot handed Akko the paper.

Akko didn't know why her heart was pounding so fast, or why she felt so on edge that she could throw up again. Her hands were shaking as she unfolded the paper.

Croix took Chariot's hand in a fierce grip.

Diana leaned to peer curiously over Akko's shoulder.

Akko's breath got stuck in her throat.

Her eyes widened.

 **REQUEST FOR ADOPTION**

 **Child's Name:** Akko Kagari

 **Adoptive Parent(s) Name:** Chariot du Nord and Croix Meridies

* * *

 **So, many of you _wanted_ this outcome, but how many actually thought it would happen? ;)**


	12. Chapter 12

***rises from the dead***

 **So. Hey there. I hope I haven't lost you all during this latest drought. All my motivation to write _anything_ just deserted me out of nowhere. It seems to be returning slowly however, so keep your fingers crossed. Regardless, this story will be completed. I still have other stories I want to write as well. Time will only tell with me.**

 **Anyway, for those of you still around, enjoy and leave a review!**

* * *

 **Chapter Twelve**

Diana stood rooted to the spot and could only watch, her heart calling out in distress, as Akko barreled out of the library. The brunette's haunting last words echoed noisily in her head, and her brain throbbed with each repetition.

 _ **"I don't deserve**_ **anything** _ **!"**_

Akko had sounded so bitter; it was obvious how much she believed her own words. Every time Diana had seen the light in Akko's eyes wane, even for the slightest moment, had now been explained in the most painstaking reveal of Diana's life.

Akko didn't feel worthy.

Diana thought back to when Akko had revealed she was homeless; particularly, when Akko had brought up her parents. Diana knew the root of all of Akko's grief started there, and Diana felt like she could throw up upon realizing that meant Akko had likely gone her entire life so far convinced she was nothing. She had put on a believable show, as Diana thought that even Chariot and Croix had no idea how Akko really saw herself. She briefly wondered how many nights Akko had cried herself to sleep. Her throat began burning at the thought, her eyes watered, but she swallowed the urge to cry. She knew Akko had finally truly broken this time and there would be no picking up the pieces anymore.

Unless she had help.

Diana quickly gathered herself, apologized to those their argument had disrupted, and fled the library herself. She realized she had no idea where to begin looking for the brunette as the city was vast and Akko surely knew its nooks and crannies better than Diana. Still, she wouldn't be deterred. She had _seen_ Akko fall apart, and a part of her was frantic with nerves. She and Akko may have been getting to know one another, but Diana was completely in the dark when it came to how Akko could possibly take out her frustration and despair. Was she the kind of person who would hole up in their room—theoretically, at least, Diana added grimly—and cry it out for days? Or could she be the complete opposite of the spectrum and partake in dangerous activities? Diana was suddenly swallowing against a dry throat as her mind traitorously showed her a picture of Akko on the ledge of the tallest building she could find.

That final thought torturing her on repeat, Diana took off running, the notion to call her driver Frank vanishing from her senses.

First she tried Akko's place, surprising herself when it only took her two wrong turns to find it. The board was covering the hole, but that didn't mean anything, right? Akko could still be inside, right? Diana was quickly pushing the plank aside and pulling her phone from her pocket at the same time. She aimed the phone's flashlight inside as soon as she had room to.

"Akko?" she called. "Akko?!"

There was no answer, nor any shape that could possibly resemble a human lurking in a dark corner or buried underneath the pile of blankets. Letting a single expletive slip, Diana barely slid the board back into place before she was off again.

Chariot and Croix.

Akko _had_ to have gone to them, right?

For the second time within just 24 hours, Diana burst into the police station frantic and out of breath. The woman behind the reception desk looked up, alarmed by Diana's entrance. She was making to stand and perhaps attend to Diana—with the way the blonde was hunched over, she could easily be mistaken as injured—before Diana caught her breath and righted herself.

"Chariot and Croix," she gasped, not caring in the slightest how crazed she must look and sound right now. "I-I don't know their last names, but I know they work here and I need to see them _now_!"

Diana's heart was pounding less from exertion now and more from anxiety as she watched the woman pick up the phone and press a single button. What did she do if neither of them were here? Where could she possibly look next?

"O-Officer Meridies is on her way up now," the receptionist thankfully said, cutting in to Diana's fretting mind.

She was unsure which woman that was, but so long as it was one of them it was something. She turned to look out at the expanse of work stations that filled the room before her, eyes straining for a familiar face, her teeth worrying her bottom lip incessantly. Finally, Diana breathed when she saw lilac hair heading her way.

"Miss Cavendish?" Croix said uncertainly. "How can I help you?"

"It's Akko," she blurted, and the tears came with. "W-We were at the library when I brought up buying her d-dinner as she had paid for our breakfast, but then she got u-upset and ye-yelled and stormed off and I don't know w-where she is and I don't know what she's thinking a-and I don't know what she plans to d-do!"

Diana had never lost her composure like this, but then again, she had never had a reason to. Nothing in her life had ever scared her as much as Akko being out there somewhere doing gods know what did.

Somewhere, a midst the panic within her, something in her fluttered with the realization:

Nothing in her life mattered as much as Akko.

"Hey, we'll find her, alright?" Croix reassured her gently. "Unfortunately this isn't the first time something like this has happened."

Diana perked up slightly at that. "Where did she go last time? I already checked her place and she wasn't there."

"Last time she was at the fountain in the park," Croix told her. "The time before that she was at a bus stop with just enough change."

"I need to go check those places then," Diana muttered, mostly to herself.

Croix, however, heard her and chuckled. "By yourself?" she jabbed lightly. "Do you _know_ how many bus stops there are just in a two mile radius from here? It's also getting dark and as a protector of the people, I can't have young girls wandering around parks at night."

"But what if Akko's there?" Diana rebutted. "I have to-!"

Croix's hand was on her shoulder then, kind yet sympathetic smile on her face. " _Breathe_ , Diana," she said, smile quirking ever so slightly as Diana did just that. "If Akko's there— _wherever_ Akko is—we'll find her."

They had started their search by Luna Nova as it was the closest place to the police station. There was no guitar drifting from the wall by the gates. There was no figure cloaked by the bushes below a dark window. There was no one observing the grounds from the tallest and thickest tree. Diana tried not to feel as disheartened as she did.

Next they slowly drove by the Wednesday Cafe. It was a long shot, but Diana had thought that just _maybe_ Akko would be there sitting in their booth. Maybe Lotte or Sucy would even have bought her a drink. But there was no conversation coming from their booth or any other. Diana tried to chase away the creeping dread.

There wasn't a hunched figure at any bus stop. There was no one with a jar at their feet by the deserted fountain. There was no one wandering through the park, there was no one meandering down the streets.

An hour passed, and Diana was starting to feel sick again.

"The only place we haven't looked," Croix said with a sigh as they sat at a red light, "is O'Neill's."

Once more, Diana became more alert from the backseat. Once more, hope started bubbling inside her.

"You really think she would have gone to her?" Chariot asked, disbelief and acceptance bleeding together. "Akko's only ever turned to her..."

"I know, but..." Croix looked to Chariot, and Diana could just make out the same desperation in the officer's eyes that was reflected in her own. "We're out of options. Amanda may know _where_ she is at the very least, although I've had a bad feeling ever since Diana came to me. I just...didn't want to entertain the thought."

"How far away is it?" Diana asked in a serious tone. Akko _had_ to be there. Even if it _was_ the last place she'd be.

The traffic light turned green, and Croix made a sharp u-turn.

"Not far."

They hadn't even made it there, however, when Diana let out a terrified wail.

 _"Akko!"_

There was a body face down in the middle of the street, but even in the dark, the gray knit beanie gave everything away.

Diana was out of the cruiser before it had even stopped. She was on her knees at Akko's side before she was even aware.

"Akko! Akko," she fretted, carefully turning the girl over. She pressed her ear to the girl's chest to hear Akko's heart hammering madly in her rib cage. The smell of alcohol also assaulted her senses as she pulled herself back past Akko's mouth.

"Do we take her to the hospital?" she asked as Croix came to kneel down next to her, two fingers at Akko's jugular. She felt Chariot's presence behind her but didn't take her eyes off Akko. "Her heart rate seems way too high if she just passed out from drinking, right? W-Wouldn't it be a lot slower?"

"Not necessarily," Croix answered as she removed a device from her jacket. Diana assumed it was a breathalyzer once the woman placed it in Akko's mouth. Diana watched as numbers began to flash on the screen. Seconds later, a number appeared and stayed. Croix scowled and huffed, looking to Akko with mingling anger and concern. "Damn it, Akko."

Chariot looked over Croix's shoulder. The small gasp she made caused Diana's heart to clench.

"W-What does that number mean?"

"It's her highest yet," Chariot muttered, clearly still in a state of mild shock.

"Her BAC is 0.26. She probably has alcohol poisoning," Croix explained in the redhead's stead. "We need to get her to the hospital."

Sirens blaring, they rushed to the hospital, Akko remaining passed out and now breathing slowly in Diana's lap in the back seat. As they sped through red lights, the gravity of the situation set in for Diana. Akko had been so distraught the she had intentionally drank herself into unconsciousness—at least that was the way it seemed. And to make matters worse, from what she could gather from Chariot and Croix, this wasn't the first time she had done so. Akko may not have been standing on the ledge of a building, but this was just as reckless; just as painful.

Diana didn't know if it was the influence of being brought in by the police or if the hospital was always this fast-moving, but they soon found themselves in an isolated room and gathered around Akko's bed. Diana couldn't keep her eyes off the machine that was keeping track of the girl's heart rate. Even with the fluids slowly trickling in it was still frighteningly slow. It had been fluctuating since they found her and Diana didn't know if it was scarier when her heart was going a mile a minute or a mile an hour. Even the mask on her face to assist and attempt to regulate her breathing didn't seem to be working.

"She's gonna be alright now," Croix said softly, despite what the machines seemed to be screaming at Diana. She smiled again from her spot across the bed from Diana. "Her heart isn't going to right itself this fast. Your will won't make it any better either. Hell, you're glaring at the machine so hard I'm just waiting for it to blow up."

That got a tiny little scoff and smile from Diana, Croix's only growing wider in turn.

"This may be the worst off she's ever been, but this isn't the first time she's landed herself in the hospital," the cop continued to explain, hoping to alleviate Diana's worries even the slightest bit. "Everyone in this room knows how much of a fighter Akko is. She'll come to." With a brief but meaningful glance to Chariot, she added, "And then I expect we'll all have a big, long talk."

And talk they did...

* * *

Diana had just managed to keep her tears at bay for the first round, but as soon as she saw the piece of paper Akko was holding in shaky hands, as soon as she read the words, as soon as she processed what they actually _meant_ , there was no more containing them.

Especially as a small sob came from Akko's throat as she looked to the two women beside her.

"You guys... You w-want to a...a-adop-..."

"Adopt you," Chariot finished as she pulled Akko to her in a tender hug. "Yes, we do, Akko."

"B-But... Don't you guys want, like, a b-baby?" Akko asked, her voice muffled in Chariot's jacket. "Someone you can raise?"

Both Chariot and Croix chuckled at that, though Croix was the one to reassure her. "Akko, I think that paper clearly states we want you. Plus, we _have_ raised you these past few years at least."

"And Croix's not really cut out for babies," Chariot admitted with another laugh.

The redhead released Akko from the hug and the girl immediately went back to looking at the form still clutched in her hands. She looked over her shoulder to Diana.

"Diana... Did you see?"

Diana could only grin, her heart now swelling with joy for the girl who deserved everything. "I see, Akko."

"We want to give you a couple days to think about it," Chariot's voice had Akko turning back around. "While I would like to assume your answer solely from your reaction, this... This is a huge step, Akko; for all three of us. Croix and I have obviously talked this over to come to this decision, but by no means do we expect a concrete decision from you on the spot. Just...hang on to that paper for a bit and think about it, okay?"

As Chariot made to stand with Croix, Akko seemed to break from her trance.

"Wait, you guys are leaving?"

"You're awake," Croix replied. "It's safe to say you're out of the woods, and I trust Diana to take care of the rest of you." The woman winked at Diana which caused her to erupt in red instantly. "Plus, I think you both have your own heart-to-heart to be had."

Diana noticed the hunch now in Akko's shoulders as the girl seemed to close in on herself. She wanted to reassure the girl that there was no reason for her to feel tense or upset about anything anymore, but also...

Diana was mad.

The adrenaline and panic from the frantic search for Akko and the relief that the girl was okay had her fear giving way to anger. Maybe she was wrong to be angry with Akko, and maybe the root of that anger was still ingrained in any lingering fear, but Diana wasn't going to hide how she was feeling. Akko had been distraught at the time, obviously, but she had still been incredibly reckless. What if she had had just one more drink? What if she had been hit by a car?

"Diana?"

The quiet call of her name had her blinking, and she swallowed against a dry throat when she felt a tear drip down her cheek. Her wavering—yet intense, apparently, if Akko's taken aback expression was any indication—gaze locked onto Akko's and they observed each other silently, both too afraid to break the tension.

"I..." Diana watched as Akko's grip on the adoption paper caused the form to crinkle. "I'm sorry, Diana..."

"I know," she mumbled back lamely, her anger immediately fizzling out with the raw hesitancy that consumed Akko's tone.

Another bout of silence passed between them. Akko was glaring down at the paper in her hands and appeared lost in thought. Diana was attempting to organize her thoughts enough that they could actually make some headway with this conversation.

"Why?" she croaked before she even realized she had done so.

Akko looked to her, puzzled. "Why what?"

"Why did you...run?" she asked and hated herself for it. This wasn't about _her_. "Why did you feel like you couldn't open up to me?" Now that she was going, however, Diana couldn't get herself to stop. "I thought we were f-friends. I thought you knew I would n-never judge you. I-I thought... Was I not obvious enough? Did I leave room for doubt?"

Now Akko was crying as well again and Diana wanted to run from the room at the thought that she had caused those tears.

But she couldn't repeat Akko's mistake. They knew they had each other; now they just had to prove it.

A hand came into her down turned vision and Diana followed it to its source. Akko smiled at her and flexed her hand. Diana took it without question.

"None of this is your fault, Diana," Akko told her, smile on her face despite her watery eyes. Her voice held nothing but the honest truth. "I did this to myself. I've...tried to hide and keep everything inside for so long, but now I see how toxic and wrong that was, to me and to others. My...mental state's a mess, obviously."

"No, Akko, I'm..." Diana looked away and chewed on her lip momentarily. Akko's grip on her hand only tightened. "None of this is anyone's fault really, I guess. We meant it when we said we understand why you think the things you do. I think everything had been building for quite a while on both sides and it culminated in this. Everyone is their own ticking time-bomb." Finally, she met Akko's eyes again with a hesitant look, adding, "But can I...ask one thing?"

Akko nodded.

"Did you ever... _want_ to talk to someone?"

Diana hadn't expected the answer, "Every day," to hurt so much.

"But it's like I said," Akko continued quickly, looking at Diana every so often before becoming shy and looking away, "I felt like I didn't need to burden anyone. My life is _my_ problem, not someone else's, and I was _so certain_ I could continue to take care of myself the way I had been for years."

"Taking care of yourself _means_ confiding in people, Akko," Diana explained with another squeeze of the brunette's hand. "Shouldering too much is damaging to oneself."

"I don't know why I could never recognize that..."

Diana flashed a sympathetic smile. "Because you are a strong, independent woman, Akko. But being independent doesn't mean you have to live in solitude."

Akko let out a wet chuckle and Diana's heart picked up speed as she saw another tear fall from Akko's eyes. She hadn't meant to upset her again.

"Akko, I'm sorry, that was-."

"No, you're right!" Akko cut her off though, and when she looked back at Diana this time, a smile was lighting her face, again threatening to overpower the tears still welling under walls of red. "Diana, you're right about everything; I see that now. You, Chariot, Croix... Leaning on others won't make me weak and it doesn't garner pity. It takes strength to put your happiness in the hands of others, and it isn't pity that you're given as a result, but love." Akko looked away again at this point as her cheeks reddened. Diana matched that color with the thought that the shade made Akko that much cuter. "I guess... I never experienced love before so I saw it for what I knew. Maybe it was wrong, but..."

"It wasn't," Diana was the one to quickly interject this time. "Everyone has their own experiences. Everyone learns lessons differently. We said it before and I'll say it again: We love you for _you_ , Akko. Nothing has changed that, and nothing ever will."

Before Diana could blink, Akko had lifted herself up and twisted in the bed to give Diana the most awkwardly-angled hug in the world. Arms were tight around her neck and Diana's throat was burning as she felt her shoulder growing damp from Akko's tears.

"Thank you," Akko mumbled, choking back the sobs that wished to consume her again. "Thank you."

All Diana could say back without breaking down herself was a hoarse, "You're welcome," as she hugged the girl back. They stayed in the embrace for a prolonged moment, both relishing in the warmth and safety they found in the other's arms. Diana felt more at home where she was right now than she had since before her mother passed away. She could only hope Akko felt the same way.

Eventually, after several sniffles from Akko, Diana gently untangled the girl from her person. Trying her best to lighten the atmosphere, she fixed Akko with her most playful look.

"What do you say we get you out of here?"

Akko's eyes lit up immediately and Diana's heart skipped a beat. "You think they'll let me? Chariot and Croix looked pretty angry with me earlier. What did-? I mean... How-?"

"You had a blood-alcohol level of 0.26, Akko," Diana answered, her smile faltering briefly as she guessed Akko's question. "You were dehydrated and passed out in the street."

Akko winced. "Oh..."

"Yes, 'oh,'" Diana echoed. Her smirk returned. "But let's not dwell on that. We got a lot off our chest about the past today, let's look to the future now, okay? Or at least live for the present."

Akko's hand was back in hers and the brunette was giving her the most affectionate look to date. Diana gulped and could almost _feel_ her entire face turn red.

"Yeah," Akko breathed, gaze never wavering from Diana. "The present's pretty good..."

Diana had absolutely no response. She had not been ready for... _that_. What even was that? Was Akko...? Did she...?

 _What?_

Akko giggled and with one long blink, Diana was okay—mostly.

"Did you short circuit?" the brunette asked, having absorbed the playfulness Diana had started with earlier and throwing it back at the blonde tenfold. "Do I need to get the doctor?"

Pulling her hand out of Akko's, Diana quickly stood up, perhaps a bit too quickly as her chair scooted further back than she had intended. She kept her eyes on Akko the entire time she was backing out of the room. Just in case the brunette decided to do something else completely unexpected.

"No!" Diana exclaimed, and perhaps she should have been more embarrassed with how her voice cracked, but it honestly didn't even register. " _I-I'll_ go get the doctor. Y-You just...think of something for us to do!"

Bumping into the door frame, Diana just had to look back at Akko one last time. Akko was oozing with a confidence Diana had never seen from her.

"Are you really leaving, or are you just gonna keep staring at me?"

Diana fled and the giggles followed.

She'd get Akko back somehow...

* * *

"Why are we at the aquarium?" There was some shuffling as a voice drifted from behind a bush. "And why are we _hiding_?"

A sheepish smile was Diana's immediate answer and she had an idea what the words that followed were going to include.

"The aquarium closed at 8 and I may~ know a way in once they lock up?"

Diana rolled her eyes accompanied by an over-dramatic sigh. "I don't know why I'm surprised."

Akko stuck her tongue out at her before she was back to her watch. Diana glanced down at the time on her phone. 8:15pm. She looked back up and paid attention too when she heard distant voices. A small group of people—employees, if Diana had to guess—filed out of the darkened building, two remaining by the front doors to lock up for the night. Diana couldn't deny she was extremely curious to see how Akko planned to get in.

Her nerves were flaring as they watched the workers disperse in different directions, and Akko must have _really_ done this before if she knew no one would be passing by their current hiding spot. Diana had never done _anything_ like this before. Hell, she had never even _dreamed_ of doing so. Breaking in, trespassing... Aunt Daryl would throw a fit.

That final thought, however, caused Diana to grin wickedly and her long-buried rebellious side to jolt. Intimidating as the idea was, it was exciting too. Plus, she was with Akko, who she trusted immensely.

Seeing Akko move, Diana followed without hesitation. They scurried from their bush by the side of the building and headed towards the back. Most of the building was made of glass, and their reflection as they made their way down its length kept startling Diana.

"Are you gonna be okay with this?" Akko asked with a small chuckle, their gazes locking through their mirrored selves.

"I'll admit I'm on edge."

"I don't want to be a bad influence on you," Akko's tone was mellowing and Diana instantly sought to mend it.

"You won't." They had come to a stop now, and Diana held Akko's gaze imploringly. "This place must be important to you with how quickly you blurted it out when I asked what you wanted to do. I want to know why."

Akko shifted her beanie on her head, looking away bashfully. She remained silent, however, and though Diana grinned as the tables seemed to be turning from earlier, she didn't press for details. Instead, she watched Akko reach in between the dumpster and the wall it sat next to and pull out the frame of an umbrella.

"Watch this," Akko told her, eyes flashing with a familiar mirth.

Twirling the umbrella casually, Akko approached the back door to the aquarium. She bent down and started sticking the umbrella through the door. Intrigued, Diana shimmied closer.

"There's a small hole in the door just under the push bar on the inside," Akko explained as she felt Diana come up beside her. "I don't know what its purpose is, but it makes breaking in a piece of cake." Offering the umbrella to Diana, she grinned. "Care to do the honors?"

Diana took the handle and pushed the button to open the frame of the canopy. She felt the umbrella catch and she immediately knew what to do next.

She pulled.

"Congratulations, Diana," Akko cockily said as the door opened. "You just broke in to an aquarium."

"One thing off my bucket list," Diana joked, holding the door open as Akko stepped inside with a laugh.

They appeared to have come in through a small food court. Tables and chairs were spread over a tile floor, and several empty food stands sat dark and abandoned along the far wall.

"Come on," Akko took her hand, "I have a couple things I want to show you."

Diana was in a sort of trance as Akko led her expertly through the building. All the main lights were off, obviously, but the lights from the tanks that continuously followed them from room to room were enough to see by and it suited the mood perfectly.

"Close your eyes," Akko suddenly directed as they came to a stop behind a corner. There was a look of eagerness more suited to a child on her face and Diana knew she couldn't say no.

"You better not be feeding me to the sharks," she mumbled as she obeyed.

Akko snickered. "Not exactly."

"Really reassuring, Akko."

They took only a few steps before they stopped again and Akko told her to open her eyes. She did and immediately gasped.

Sea creatures were all around them. Next to them, below them, _above_ them; Diana was continuously spinning to take it all in. She felt like she was underwater. She felt like she could reach out and touch everything. Dozens of fish of different shapes, sizes, and colors swam by in schools; small species of sharks slithered by; there was even...

"Oh, look at the turtle!"

Diana watched as it swam over them before her eyes traced over Akko's form standing off to the side. The brunette was watching her with a fond smile, hands in her hoodie pocket and looking like she had not a care in the world.

"Akko, this is..."

"Amazing, right?" Akko stepped closer as she finally looked away from Diana to look around as well. "I've been coming here for years. Whenever things became too much out there, I'd escape in here. Nothing followed me in here. I wasn't cold, or lonely, or hungry... It was one place I could be at peace."

"I can see why," Diana said, awe still overtaking her.

As she took another look around, she could see Akko begin to fidget beside her. Her shoulders were hunched and her arms were locked, her hands likely in fists in her pocket. Diana could see Akko glancing at her every few seconds in her peripherals, and a subtle smile began forming on her face.

"Diana?" Akko's meek voice finally crept out.

Diana turned to face her, attention now solely on the girl before her. Akko looked away again.

"Do you...? Um... I-uh..."

Although Diana could feel her heart rate escalating as it lifted to her throat, she managed to keep her composure on the outside this time. When one of them wasn't flustered the other one had to be, and Diana had an ever-growing feeling she knew what had Akko so nervous all of a sudden.

Or, at least, she _hoped_ she did.

"Akko?" she prodded gently, moving just the slightest bit closer.

The poor girl still couldn't meet her eyes, though they did keep drifting awfully close to her lips causing Diana to grin, heart continuing to stutter.

"I, um... Can I...? I-I mean, I would l-like to..." Akko huffed and glared at the ground with a frustrated whisper of, " _Shit._ "

Screw it, Diana decided then and there, she was going for it. There couldn't possibly be a better moment than this.

"Akko," she called softly, and Akko glanced up. Diana smiled. "Breathe."

A shaky breath escaped the girl as she stuttered, "Y-Yeah. R-Right."

Diana saw red eyes flash downwards ever so slightly once again and Diana took the plunge.

She moved forward. The last thing she saw was petrified but overjoyed red...

And then she covered Akko's lips with her own.


	13. Chapter 13

**A shorter chapter than I wanted after another month-long break, but again, I'm not too happy with this one. It's really a morale booster that you all continue to enjoy this even when I think it's lacking. This chapter's a bit all over the place. I couldn't find my rhythm, so if things seem choppy, jumbled, or different, that's why.**

 **I also have _no_ idea what I was trying to do at the end...**

 **Anyway, in better, less self-deprecating news, this story now has another piece of fan art! Done by the wonderful superevilbadguy again on Tumblr, make sure you go to her page to give it a look! It's absolutely beautiful and she knows I could gush about it all day. 3**

* * *

 **Chapter Thirteen**

Akko had gone rigid at the slightest touch of Diana's lips against hers. A powerful jolt traveled the length of her body as her brain simultaneously began to combust.

Diana was kissing her.

 _Diana_ was kissing her.

Diana was _kissing_ her.

Diana was kissing _her_.

It didn't make any difference how Akko said it in her head, it was still completely incomprehensible.

Except it was actually happening right before her very wide eyes.

 _Code red, Bay 4. Code red, Bay 4. All personnel please evacuate to Brain Function Room 2. Watch out for falling debris._

The blaring in Akko's brain was giving her a headache, but it was also working to slam her back to the present. Tentatively, Akko felt her body respond in earnest; leaning forward to kiss back—shit, this was her first kiss too, was she even doing this right?—and feeling her eyes squeeze shut of their own accord.

She could feel Diana smile into their kiss before Akko could feel her beginning to pull away. Nearly in a drunken haze, Akko followed her in her retreat. She had spaced out for half of that, couldn't they try it once more? Or several more times, preferably.

"I apologize if that was too presumptuous of me," Diana was saying, her cheeks bright red but her eyes focused solely on Akko.

"N-Not at all!" Akko quickly jumped in. "It's all I've been thinking about since I woke up at the hospital, but..." Bashfully, she looked away.

"But?" she heard Diana croon before feeling the girl's marvelous heat upon her as Diana stepped even closer.

"B-But..." Akko gulped before managing to look back up at Diana. Although there was a twinkle of teasing intent in those glistening sapphires, the blonde's expression was nothing but gentle and loving, hoping to instill whatever confidence Akko needed in order to say what she wanted to. "I was s-scared, you know?"

A hand came up to cup Akko's cheek and Akko shivered at the burning touch. She couldn't look away as Diana tenderly used her other hand to brush some loose hair behind Akko's ear. A blush of equal intensity quickly filled her cheeks as well from the sheer _adoration_ that blazed in Diana's eyes. For _Akko._ For _her_.

"I was scared too," the blonde finally admitted, her cheeks, which had just finished returning to their normal color, glowing a slight pink once more. "But I knew what I was hoping for—I knew what I _wanted—_ so I just...acted. I'm so tired of watching my life go by while I sit on the sidelines, it's my turn to step up and take action, otherwise this life will never truly be my own."

"A-And here I just wanted to kiss you because I like you..." Akko mumbled abashedly.

Diana chuckled softly that time and Akko only blushed harder.

"Well maybe that's my verbose way of saying I like you too."

That had Akko's head shooting up so fast it nearly collided with Diana's. Her eyes were wide and she was sure her face was breaking all records for different shades of red, but she hardly cared over the thundering of her heart.

"Y-You d-do?!" she quite literally squeaked.

"Well, I don't go around kissing girls for nothing," Diana replied with a smile and wink, and Akko may have taken the opportunity to insert a tease of her own in there if she hadn't been so shocked she couldn't even retaliate naturally. Diana mellowed, yet still with a smile, she added, "But yes, Akko, I... I really like you."

Akko was moving before she knew it. She all but tackled Diana, causing the blonde to stumble back against the wall of the tank that surrounded them. Akko felt a little bad upon hearing the light ' _thunk_ ' of Diana's head, but it must not have bothered the blonde too much from the passion she returned Akko's feverish kiss with. Everything was suddenly Diana, Diana, _Diana_ , and Akko could hardly breathe. All she could do was continue to kiss the girl as her brain suffered from another meltdown.

 _Alert, alert. Computers shutting down, restart in process. Please mind the rubble._

Akko wasn't sure how long their second—and third and fourth and fifth—kiss lasted, but it hardly mattered. Akko had ascended beyond the clouds. As much as she tried not to think of it, she couldn't help herself; here she was, a homeless teen with nothing going for her but her exuberant personality, currently in a lip-lock with a girl who was pretty much modern-day royalty for all Akko cared. What were the odds? How had her luck turned around so drastically?

 _No more sitting on the sidelines..._ Akko repeated Diana's earlier words, now grinning into their kiss herself.

Finally, the need for air became too great and Akko regretfully pulled back. Still, she remained close enough that their noses were brushing with each gasp of their breath, and another full-body shiver wracked Akko as Diana's hot breath mingled with her own.

"W-Wow," Diana panted, giggling softly as her eyes bore into Akko's once more. "That was..."

"The best thing ever?"

Akko's elated grin only surpassed Diana's by a hair.

"Agreed."

"I could kiss you all day..."

 _Warning! Warning! Too over-the-top! Revert to damage control._

Akko jumped away from Diana with another "eep," her body flushing so much and so fast that she had no idea how she hadn't passed out yet. Though after that latest bumble, falling unconscious may be to her benefit. She glanced to Diana nervously, afraid she had said too much too soon, but was slightly comforted by the girl's similarly rigid posture and glowing face.

"I-I mean..." Akko fumbled, trying to save face but knowing it was ultimately not worth it. Why hide how she truly felt? She hadn't meant to say that _out loud_ , but that didn't take the raw, innocent truth away.

 _Own up to your feelings, Akko. You owe Diana that much._

"I mean..." Akko tried again, clearing her throat. "Yeah, I meant that."

Diana's shy smile was enough to retract any worry. Akko's fears washed away with that perfect smile and she could barely restrain herself a second time. Beaming her brightest ever, Akko broke into a fit of laughter as she enveloped Diana in her arms. She heard Diana release a mix between a sob and a laugh before the blonde had her face burrowing into Akko's shoulder.

"Don't ever change, Akko," Akko felt more than heard Diana mumble into her hoodie.

Akko squeezed the blonde even tighter with her response of, "As long as you never do either."

The two took another tranquil, amazing moment in the safety and comfort of the other's arms as the fish, sharks, and sea creatures continued to swim around them, oblivious to two girls' first love blossoming in the center. Finally, with a sniffle and quick wipe to her eyes, Diana had fixed her gaze back on Akko.

"So, what else does this treasure trove of yours have to offer?"

Another grin split Akko's face and she was pulling Diana from the tunnel in an instant. "You'll love this even more!"

A few twists and turns and Akko had now come to a halt in a large, vacant room that seemed better suited in an abandoned warehouse than an aquarium. Akko snickered at Diana's confused look as she took in the lack of anything...aquatic.

"Look over the rail," Akko told her.

Diana slowly pulled away from Akko to do exactly that. Another gasp came from the blonde and Akko chuckled.

"Are those _seals_?"

Joining her at the railing, Akko nodded. "Yep! Apparently the zoo around here got some new animal but no space to keep it, so these unlucky guys were forced out. The aquarium then decided 'hey, they live in the water too, why not just make a seal exhibit?'"

Akko watched Diana's eyes follow the sleek bodies around in the water. One black silhouette, the smallest of those present, suddenly leapt from the water just slightly beneath them and did a back-flip, hitting the pair square in the face with a splash of water as it did so. With the most adorable squeak out of Diana, Akko was collapsing into laughter all over again.

"That's Arcas," Akko began to explain. "He's quite the troublemaker, and known for doing just that to all the unsuspecting people that come through here." Watching Diana wringing out her shirt, Akko added, "It's probably the easiest method for me to shower."

Even though Diana had a firm look in her eyes as she tended to her clothes, Akko noticed the way her lips twitched despite it.

"Well tell Arcas I usually prefer to shower in the privacy of my own bathroom."

Akko took Diana's hand again before the blonde could protest.

"Why don't you tell him yourself? You wanna meet him?"

Diana had surely noticed how Akko was leading her to the far side of the room where the walkway they were currently on ended at a large pool. Soon enough, Arcas was bobbing up and down in the water a short distance away. Akko felt Diana's grip tighten on her hand.

"A-Akko, are you s-sure this is okay?"

They were just several feet away now when Akko spun around with a playful smirk, taking note of how Diana's wide eyes kept flitting from her to the animal waiting patiently behind them.

"Surely the great Diana Cavendish isn't _scared_ of an adorable little seal?"

"I'm not scared!" Diana quickly retaliated before averting her gaze nervously to the floor. It was one of the few times Akko saw Diana truly unsettled by something, and her teasing smile fell away into a tender one. "It's just... That's a wild animal, Akko."

"Hey, it's okay," Akko told her, gradually inching them both ever closer. "I've touched every single seal in here and they've never harmed me. They were likely born and raised at the zoo, so they've been around humans all their lives. Arcas is mischievous, but he isn't aggressive."

With another hesitant glance from Diana, Akko finally allowed them to stop, still a safe distance from the water.

"I'm not going to make you, Diana," she reassured the blonde. "But you're my friend and Arcas is my friend. I want the two of you to meet."

Arcas seemed to sense the anxiety within Diana as he sunk a bit more beneath the water, as if to make himself seem less imposing. Diana gave him one final, long, analyzing look before sighing and squeezing Akko's hand, a smile finding its way back onto her face.

"I have to say," she huffed, sounding more like her normal self, "you never stop finding ways to mystify me, Akko."

"That's a good thing, right?"

They finally reached Arcas in the pool before them. Akko immediately ran into a side room and returned a second later with a bucket of fish on ice before discarding her shoes and socks and sticking her feet in the water as she plopped right down. She tossed a fish out and Arcas leapt backwards in order to catch it right in his mouth.

Her movements quite a bit more cautious, Diana finally sat down next to Akko, although she forwent discarding her shoes, instead choosing to sit cross-legged. Akko handed her a fish.

"You'll win him over instantly if you give him one," she whispered at Diana's confounded stare.

Once Diana took the fish, Akko leaned forward towards the animal.

"Hiya, Arcas!" she greeted in her familiar chirp. "It's been awhile, huh?"

The seal looked from Akko to the fish in Diana's hand before it began to approach slowly. Akko watched in fascination as all hesitancy and fear seemed to leave Diana as she inched a bit closer to the edge, stretching her hand out with an easy-going smile.

"This is Diana!" Akko continued once Arcas had emerged from underwater right before said blonde. His whiskers twitched and eyes absorbed Diana. "She's a special friend of mine, so I brought her here to show her around! I saved you for last 'cause you're the best part!"

Arcas glanced to Akko as if asking permission to take the fish. Akko nodded in encouragement before he carefully took the fish from Diana, diving back under the water and retreating a few feet away in a flash to eat it.

"See?" Akko said with a giggle. "He's just as scared of you."

"How long did it take him to warm up to you?" Diana asked as she tossed a second fish out to Arcas.

Akko shrugged. "A few visits? I honestly didn't even find this part of the aquarium until maybe my third time. Once I did, I just started sitting right here to see what would happen, and he was the first to even attempt to get anywhere close. Then, when I found the fish that they feed them in the morning and started giving him midnight snacks..." Another shrug and Akko laughed. "Well, it didn't take much after that."

"And the other seals are just okay with us being here and so close to one of their own?"

"Diana, just because I break in here all the time doesn't mean I'm an expert in seal mannerisms," Akko joked.

Heat sparked in Diana's cheeks instantly with the quip, an indignant squeak of, "I know that!" coming from the blonde in utter adorableness—as far as Akko was concerned, at least.

Akko received a light shove from Diana before the girl looked back out to Arcas, who was watching the pair with a curious tilt of his head. As Diana offered yet another fish, he approached slowly once more.

"Hi, Arcas," Diana said almost in a coo. "Thanks for taking such good care of Akko. I'm sure she's talked your ear off many nights, huh?"

"Hey!"

A cheerful bark came from Arcas at Akko's cry, almost like he was laughing at her plight. Eyes narrowed, Akko glared at the seal.

"Oh, fine, take _her_ side," she grumbled. "Only three fish in and she's your new best friend!"

Diana giggled which only had Akko get even more flustered. The two weren't supposed to gang up on her! What kind of camaraderie immediately forms between a human and a seal?

"Uh oh, Arcas," Diana crooned in a quip of her own, "looks like we've upset her."

Arcas merely barked once more before doing yet another flip in the water and immediately soaking the girls thoroughly once more. Both cried out in detest this time.

" _Arcas!_ "

* * *

Two hours later—one of which mainly consisted of Akko and Diana trying to dry their clothes off with the hand dryers in the bathrooms—the two were standing on the stoop of a house that was familiar to one. Akko was tense as she took in the red door which had always seemed so welcoming before. Now, however, it was intimidating.

And Akko didn't even know why.

This had been what she had always yearned for, wasn't it? She had been dreaming of nothing more since she was a child and now that dream was just a few steps from becoming a reality.

Then why couldn't she move?

Her arms felt heavy, and the hand that held a crumpled piece of paper in her hoodie pocket felt like it was burning. She and Diana had just talked things through on their way here; she had been confident with her answer just a few seconds ago.

But now that she was preparing to present that answer, all sense of confidence had fled, leaving her empty and confused, those damn dark thoughts itching to come out from hiding.

Did she really deserve this?

 _"If you go through life thinking you do or don't deserve certain things, you'll never get anywhere,"_ she recalled Amanda saying, though the memory was extremely muddled.

 _"You'll never really live."_

"Akko?"

It was Diana's voice that summoned her back, and Akko looked to her right, finding a sympathetic smile on Diana's face and a fierce blaze of loyalty burning in her eyes. Diana was her beacon, her life preserver amongst the sea of turmoil that was her life. The waves were likely about to get even more choppy, regardless of this next step, yet Akko _knew_ without a _shadow of a doubt_ that Diana would still stand beside her, no matter what she chose.

It was an extremely comforting thought, yet it still added just the smallest amount of pressure to an already daunting decision.

"Do you want this?"

Akko blinked, and two tears leaked from her eyes. Diana clasped her hand even harder as Akko wiped the wet evidence from her cheeks.

"I-I- I don't..."

Diana moved closer.

"I think you do," the angel said to her softly. "I think you do and I think you're scared, and you know what?" Akko finally met Diana's gaze. "It's okay. I can't imagine what you are feeling right now, Akko, but I do know one thing: If anyone out there in this upside-down world deserves _anything_ , it's you." Akko choked on a sob, and Diana's hand came to cup her cheek as she carried on. "I know you see it sitting there and think it's impossibly out of reach, but that's just your mind playing tricks on you. It's right there for the taking, Akko; you just have to reach out and take it."

A small whimper escaped Akko then as they stood on the stoop of Akko's new beginning, Diana's thumb gently caressing quivering cheeks, radiant smile doing its damndest to light the darkest reaches of Akko's being. Diana's forehead came to rest against her own, Akko's breath hitching as she took in the blonde's proximity, hoping to absorb every last bit of comfort, reassurance, certainty, and love so she could drown in it.

"Take it," Diana whispered.

Akko squeezed her eyes closed hard enough to give herself a headache, yet that pain was her clarity. The tide of uncertainty began to recede, the boats with demons on them going with it. A new tide began to come in, and riding this one was her future.

And the sun was rising behind it.

Red met blue.

Nods mirrored each other.

Akko knocked on the door.

Diana took her hand again.

Akko only let go when Chariot and Croix opened the door to go barreling straight into their clamoring arms.

An answer was given and the winds changed direction.

" _Yes_."


	14. Chapter 14

**Did the last five months fly by for anyone else? *chuckles nervously and dodges any items thrown***

 **In all seriousness though: This story is NOT abandoned! Those of you still with me, thank you so much for your continued support. Did anyone call for a dose of fluff with a dash of angst?**

* * *

 **Chapter Fourteen**

"Gah! Akko, I swear to God, stop cutting my head off!"

After a tender moment on the front porch of Chariot and Croix's, Diana now found herself with a front row seat to a quickly-getting-out-of-hand video game war between Akko and Croix. She had been a bit repulsed at first by the game's over the top violence—ripping _guts_ out of someone, really?—but Akko and Croix's hilarious commentary was soon having her look beyond any imperfections. The two were obviously _very_ competitive; so much so that they were constantly on their feet in a flash and mashing buttons if they weren't leaning heavily on one another on the couch and trying to throw off each other's concentration.

"That's three in a row for me!" Akko boasted, swinging her controller around by its cord. Diana was just waiting for it to hit her in the head.

"Yeah, well let's put in Smash Bros and I'll put you in your place," Croix shot back with an uncanny impression of a tiger's growl.

Diana couldn't help but laugh at how quickly Akko's face then paled as she quieted down. Croix smirked and rolled her eyes, nudging Akko playfully.

"I'll go easy on you~," she cooed.

Akko stuck her tongue out at the cop—her new _guardian_ , Diana thought with a flutter of her heart—before shoving the lilac-haired woman.

"Yeah, right!" Akko retorted. "I'm not even good at the newest one, and you know I think the N64 version is even harder!"

Croix shrugged. "Then play against Diana," she supplied casually with a shrug.

"What?"

"W-What?"

Diana faltered, caught off guard. Ever since they had been welcomed inside, Diana had for the most part remained silent and out of the way. She honestly felt a bit out of place. This was Akko's moment; Akko's new life. Should she be intruding on it as she was? But then, what other option did she have but return to her aunt and essentially roll over in submission?

"Diana?"

Diana blinked, finding both Akko and Croix looking at her curiously.

"I-I'm sorry, come again?" she spoke as she felt her cheeks flush.

"I asked if you wanted to play a game with me," Akko repeated, a small smile appearing no doubt from Diana's flustered state.

"Well, I- um..." Diana looked away from the two shamefully. "I've never really played a video game before."

"Don't worry," Croix quipped, "Akko has and she _still_ isn't any good!"

That had Diana giggling briefly as Akko glared and deflated. Croix rolled her eyes again before tossing her controller on the couch and walking into the kitchen. With the space now open between them, Akko scooted to Diana's end of the couch.

"Are you okay?" the brunette asked, hesitating momentarily before taking Diana's hand in hers. Diana knew she was blushing once more. "You've been quiet since we got here."

Did she tell Akko the thoughts churning in her mind? No doubt Akko would cast them aside with a laugh and playful jibe, but Diana wasn't as comforted by that thought as she thought she would be.

"I don't know," Diana told her, avoiding the inquisitive rubies before her that held nothing but care for the blonde. "You will think it's silly, but I just feel like I shouldn't really be here right now. This is something huge, and to be celebrated definitely, but I don't feel I rightfully am a part of it." Finally glancing up at Akko, she smiled shyly before adding, "I guess now I know how you felt about being a burden."

"I totally get that, Diana, really, but there's no reason for you to feel that way, okay?" Akko squeezed her hands as if she hoped it would make her words even more convincing. "Yeah, I have people to look after me and take care of me now, and I guess that means I have a family by law, but as hard as I try, I don't think I'll ever be able to really think of Croix and Officer du Nord as _'mom,'_ you know? Heck, I'm gonna have a hard enough time just switching to 'Chariot!'" They shared a laugh and Diana felt herself relaxing gradually. "But they're my friends and _you're_ my friend, so for all I care you're family too, Diana!"

Flattered and overcome, Diana averted her gaze back to her lap.

"I'd... I would like to be a part of your family, Akko," she mumbled.

Akko beamed in response, leaning forward to kiss her. "Then you belong here! Okay?"

Diana nodded, eyes fixed on Akko's. "Okay."

"Hey, lovebirds," a smooth voice took the moment to cut in then, barely containing a laugh, "hate to interrupt, but dinner's ready."

Akko's whine of "Croix~!" only had the rest of Diana's unease desert her with another smile. If she were to indeed become a part of this little ragtag family, she supposed she was going to have to learn to take Croix's teasing in stride.

* * *

"Well," Akko said with a sigh as she and Diana got ready for bed later that night, "guess it's safe to say Croix will be taking on the role of 'overly annoying dad' in this situation."

"I find it highly amusing, actually," Diana replied from behind the bathroom door. She and Akko had borrowed a random assortment of clothes from Croix and Chariot respectively, and Diana was finishing changing into Croix's old police academy tee and some very baggy—yet extremely comfortable—Manchester United sweatpants. She opened the door to find Akko sitting on the single queen bed in the room and looking at her expectantly. Diana smirked. "Cute shirt."

Akko glanced down briefly before realizing she had changed into Chariot's academy tee unknowingly. Diana couldn't help but think the older women set it up that way. Smiling with a slight blush, Akko looked back up. "Y-Yours too."

Diana stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment, analyzing her next move. Both girls had erupted in red upon being led to the guest room—or really, Akko's bedroom—to see one bed. Obviously Diana hadn't been expecting there to _be_ more than one bed, but now the situation was real and looming and Diana shouldn't be nervous about sharing a bed with Akko because she had essentially done just that when she went home with Akko just a few short nights ago, but she had also just been hit by Daryl and seeking comfort and it wasn't like Akko knew Diana liked her like she did now so things hadn't been as uncomfortable—at least for her—and now, _wow_ , was she rambling.

She blamed Akko.

Luckily, Akko made the first move, scooting up to the head of the bed before patting the middle, inviting Diana to join her. Diana was unsure how red her cheeks really were as she approached, but if Akko's were any indication, hers were absolutely _glowing_.

"So!" Akko chirped once Diana had stiffly seated herself cross-legged before Akko. "Tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow?" Diana repeated, confused.

"Tomorrow we start taking your family back!"

Diana laughed, and the tense atmosphere around them dissolved away instantly. "Akko, I have school tomorrow," She said.

Akko just shrugged. "You can miss one more day."

The old Diana, the one that so wanted to keep living behind the walls her new self kept vigorously destroying, decried the idea instantly, insisting she had a duty to uphold and that skipping school for a _girl_ was not reflecting the ideals of her family she so wanted to live up to. The new Diana, however, the _free-to-live-as-she-pleased_ Diana, was teetering on the edge. This very girl before her was the one that had taught her to open her mind, to let loose, to have _fun_ ; how could she turn away now after tasting such tantalizing freedom?

 _Surely one more day wouldn't be too detrimental,_ Diana warred with herself. _It's still the middle of the semester, I'll have plenty of time to devote to finals, and no projects are due immediately either. Taking my family back from Aunt Daryl has to be as important—if not more so—than succeeding in school. And I wasn't even doing well because it was what I wanted, but because it was expected of me. With my conscience clear, I can start to enjoy school again. I can re-apply to colleges for what_ I _want to study. I can..._

Diana grinned, looking back to Akko resolutely.

"I can miss one more day," she said with confidence.

Akko mirrored her grin and fist-pumped the air. "Score!"

Diana chuckled, leaning forward in anticipation for whatever the girl surely had up her sleeve.

"I assume you have already come up with some kind of plan?"

There was a glint in Akko's eyes Diana didn't know if she liked. Akko leaned closer to her as well to whisper conspiratorially in her ear.

"We break in."

Any mounting excitement quickly fled Diana as she sighed. "Akko, we don't need to break into my own house," she said in a deadpan tone.

"No, no, no!" Akko wailed, her hands waving haphazardly in front of her face. "We break into your _aunt's office!"_

Diana still wasn't too impressed.

"I've tried that already."

"But now you have me!"

"That's reassuring."

A pillow promptly hit Diana in the face. "Hey!" She tossed the pillow away to find Akko pouting cutely before her, looking away and lower lip jutting out.

"I thought it was a good plan..." she mumbled.

Diana laughed once more, taking the pillow and lightly hitting Akko back with it.

"It's a plan," Diana relented, "but knowing Aunt Daryl, I'm honestly at a loss on how many _good_ plans are even out there."

"You think she's gonna have like laser traps and spikes and a giant boulder behind her door or something?" Akko snickered. "You're not related to Indiana Jones, are you?"

"No," Dianna rolled her eyes, "I'm just saying even if we do get in to her office, what then? I'm certain she's taken multiple measures to keep anything that could possibly be used against her hidden."

It was only when Akko covered one of her hands that Diana realized she had balled them into fists to begin with. Gently, Akko unfurled her hand to lace her fingers through Diana's own. The touch was so deliberate, so tender, Diana didn't stand a chance against the smile that took her over.

"Hey," Akko said, her tone of voice causing Diana to shiver, "we're gonna do this, okay?"

"I have no doubt that we will," Diana replied softly with a gentle sigh. "I'm just a bit anxious at what we may find...if anything."

Akko cocked her head. "I mean...your aunt wouldn't be able to write you out of the will, right? Isn't that...like, illegal or something?"

"Knowing my aunt, I'm sure the thought has crossed her mind." Diana scowled as she focused at a spot on the bed before her. "She thinks she is so above the law, or that she should be able to get away with anything by using her last name. It's appalling, truly. Anyone trying to use their name for any kind of gain should be seen as wrong, but there's so much corruption in this world, especially the wealthier the family, things get overlooked."

"But you also have Chariot and Croix on your side now," Akko pointed out, doing her best to stay optimistic against Diana's increasing pessimism. "They'll fight tooth and nail for you, you know? If it's illegal, they won't allow it. Even if your aunt tries to buy them or something."

Diana shrugged, still refusing to see any good. Taking action yet again, Akko tugged on Diana's hand, finally getting the blonde to look up once more. Akko had her arms open wide and a shining smile on her face. Affection was swimming in her eyes and Diana couldn't look away. Accepting the invitation with a blush and a smile, Diana crawled up beside Akko. The brunette laid back until she was just slightly propped up by the pillows and headboard, Diana nestling into her side once Akko was settled. Wrapped in Akko's arms, Diana could feel her bleak outlook on the situation gradually brightening.

"We're going to do this, Diana," Akko repeated, one hand rubbing up and down Diana's arm as the other stroked through her still damp locks. "I promise you everything will turn out right in the end."

"How can you be so sure?" Diana mumbled into Akko's shirt. "How, when so much is still up in the air and the task so daunting?"

This time Akko shrugged. "I've been pessimistic enough in my life," she explained simply. "Believing I wasn't going to get anywhere in life, that I might not even be able to eat anything that day... Well, you've seen what it's done to me. But now?" Akko's grip on her tightened, likely unconsciously. "Now I have a family. I have you. There was a part of me that always held on to a little bit of hope, but most of me just couldn't fathom that something so good could happen to me. But it did."

Another sigh came from the girl before Diana felt a soft yet searing kiss press against her forehead.

"I don't want you to turn into me," Akko whispered. "I don't want you tormented by demons you don't think you will ever escape from. I don't want your spirit crushed, your will depleted. I want you to be confident; strong. That's how I know you, that's how I..." she blushed, choosing the mumble the rest in Diana's hair, "fell in love with you."

Diana swallowed back tears. "Akko..."

"Sh-Shut up..." Akko retorted with a wet laugh.

Diana looked up to indeed see tears lining those rubies she so adored and her heart skipped a beat. Akko noticed her looking and quickly brought one hand up to wipe at her eyes before wrapping Diana back up in her embrace. Still, there was a smile on her face, unashamed of the falling tears and showing there were no lies behind any facade. With another flush, and her heart fluttering madly, Diana moved to press her nose into Akko's neck, unable to contain yet wanting to conceal the wide, giddy grin that had overtaken her.

"I didn't say anything," she replied softly with a chuckle.

"A-Anyway," a fake cough, "yeah... It's gonna be okay. The only way it won't is if you keep telling yourself it won't."

Diana nodded, knowing Akko could feel it.

"Okay, Akko."

Chariot and Croix couldn't resist checking on them later that night, and upon seeing the two curled tightly up against the other, smiles on both of their faces as the girls rested peacefully for likely the first time in a while, the two older women joined hands.

"Told ya we didn't need to worry about a sleeping bag," Croix joshed in a whisper.

" _Croix!"_

* * *

The next morning, Diana awoke to the smell of breakfast cooking. Rolling over, she opened her eyes to find the space in the bed next to her empty. Blinking as she came to her bearings, she sat up, a single blanket pooling at her waist atop the still-made bed.

Where was Akko?

As if on cue, she heard a clatter from downstairs, the cry of an expletive, and a highly amused guffaw. Diana grinned and rolled her eyes as she headed out of the bedroom.

"Nice try, kid," she could hear Croix saying, the laugh still evident in her voice.

"The handle broke off!" Akko was bickering. "That would have been a perfect flip if your pans weren't so cheap!"

"Sure, blame it on something other than yourself."

"Good morning," Diana greeted as she walked into the kitchen, finding the scene exactly as she had pictured it.

Akko and Croix stood before the stove, Akko holding just the handle to a pan which lay on the floor between them, a single poor pancake the victim.

"'Morning..." Akko grumbled before stomping over to the trash can and depositing the handle in it. "You were supposed to stay asleep a bit longer so I could bring you breakfast."

Diana immediately erupted in red, making a point to ignore whatever look Croix was giving her.

"You... You didn't-."

"Ah, ah, ah!" Akko chided, back to her now as she tended to the remaining pancakes and what smelled like bacon. "I wanted to."

"Seriously," Croix added. "She woke us up at 8am asking us to show her how to make eggs, bacon, pancakes, and..."

"There's biscuits in the oven too!"

"Biscuits," Croix finished.

Diana gaped. She figured mentioning that she rarely ate anything in the morning would be the wrong move. Instead, she just asked, "Do you want any help?"

"No way!" Akko shot back. "You just sit down and relax! You're going to take it easy and let me cook and serve you and then we're gonna pay your aunt's office a visit!"

Diana chuckled as she took a seat at the kitchen table. "I hope you still got some sleep last night with all the planning you seem to have done."

"I slept great!" Turning to face Diana, she saw Akko now was blushing, looking meek. "Did... Did you?"

"I did," Diana assured her. Unable to help herself, her eyes darted over to Croix who rolled her eyes before going back to supervising Akko.

As Akko finished plating the final batch of pancakes, Chariot meandered into the kitchen, stopping briefly by Croix to kiss the woman on the cheek before plopping down in the chair next to Diana. The blonde couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.

"Akko, you really did get them up early," she tried to admonished but was enjoying Chariot's out-of-character drowsiness too much.

"Right?" Akko chuckled as she somehow managed to carry over the plate of pancakes stacked twelve high, a plate of bacon with a wide range of crispiness, a skillet of scrambled eggs that actually looked fairly decent, and a plate of biscuits where all had somehow managed to be half burnt. "I had always pegged Croix as the one who hates mornings."

"Why does everyone assume that?!" Croix whined, nearly spilling the coffee she was in the middle of pouring during her outburst.

Diana just chuckled before looking to Akko who stood triumphant and proud at the head of the table.

"Well, even though this breakfast was _intended_ to just be for Diana and me, I did end up going a bit overboard, so everyone dig in!"

"My, how gracious of you," Chariot mumbled, so sarcastically that it had Akko, Diana, _and_ Croix staring wide eyed at the redhead. "What?" she mumbled over mouthful of biscuit.

"Akko," Croix said, not taking her eyes off her fellow copper, "I'm sorry to totally rescind the offer of adoption, but I think you broke Chariot."

As a biscuit sailed across the table, Diana continued to try her best to contain her peals of laughter.

This is what a proper home felt like, she thought fondly.

After the eventful affair that was breakfast, Diana and Akko changed—thankfully their clothes had been properly _washed and dried_ the night before—the brunette going over a suddenly elaborate and meticulous plan to break in to Aunt Daryl's office.

"Akko, I _promise_ there won't be a pitfall of snakes on the other side of the door," Diana jumped in, dashing any imaginative scenario playing out in the girl's mind. "A state-of-the-art alarm system _maybe_ , but leave the Indiana Jones traps to Indiana Jones."

"Sounds like you kids are going to have a bunch of fun storming the castle," Croix quipped from the couch as the girls lingered by the front door.

"Please be careful," Chariot implored from the kitchen where she had stayed behind to do the dishes. "And call us if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll be fine!" Akko replied with a huff. "It hasn't even been a full twenty-four hours yet and you're already such a _mom_!" Locking eyes with Croix and seeing a matching gleam in ruby and emerald, both added, purposefully loud enough for the other woman to hear, "Although she's always been like that."

Diana simply rolled her eyes as she followed Akko out the front door, thanking Croix for the hospitality before it swung shut. Akko had jumped down the porch steps and was now stretching and basking in the warm sunlight. It really was a beautiful nearly-Spring morning.

"So, how are we getting to your place?" Akko asked as they headed to the end of the driveway. "Bus? Subway?"

Diana worried her lip briefly before suggesting, "Or I could call my driver."

Akko immediately stilled and spun to face her wide-eyed.

"You mean, like…" finishing with a whisper for whatever, she added, "a _limo_?"

"N-No!" Diana exclaimed. "My aunt may be posh enough to use a limousine for her every beck and call, but I was just thinking the SUV that usually takes me to and from school."

Akko shrugged, though her wide eyes remained, now coupled with a smile. "Beats public transport, that's for sure! Call Franz up!"

"Hank…" Diana corrected halfheartedly as she fished her phone from her pocket.

In no time, they were pulling up the long drive to Diana's, Akko's face plastered to the window as it had been since they had gotten in the SUV fifteen minutes earlier.

"Diana, this isn't a house, this is a freaking _museum_! You've even got a freaking courtyard garden out front!"

"Akko, please…"

The brunette pulled herself from the window, and upon noticing Diana sitting there with her head bowed, hands worrying in her lap, immediately slid down the seat and took one of those hands in hers.

"Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Diana looked up and tried to bite back the tears that were burning in her eyes. Those rubies shining back at her were just too innocent. Too honest. Her blonde hair swayed as she shook her head.

"It's not you, Akko," she mumbled. "Just…this place never held good memories for me since my parents, and with the last time I was here being when I was hit…" She sighed, feeling unable to watch as the house loomed even closer. "I didn't think it would be like this coming back."

Akko squeezed her hand. "We'll be in and out," she reassured, smiling when Diana glanced her way. "Your aunt and cousins aren't here currently, right? We'll get what we need, you can even grab a few things from your room, and then we'll be back at Chariot and Croix's okay? You can stay with us until this all gets sorted out."

"Are you sure?" Diana nearly whimpered and hated herself for it.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Akko said with another shrug. Grinning, she added, "It's my house too, now, right?"

Diana managed to chuckle as the SUV came to a stop. "Right."

As Diana helped Akko from the car, she tensed instinctively as she heard the front door open behind her.

"Milday?"

Diana didn't try and hide her relief as she spun to face Anna. "Anna, hel—!"

"Oh, Diana, the staff and I were so worried!" Anna had interrupted her and had her in a tight embrace before Diana could finish. "Daryl wouldn't say what happened, but I just _know_ it was her doing when you didn't return home. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Anna, really," Diana assured. "I was with a friend."

Anna looked over Diana's shoulder and smiled. "This young lady here?"

"You even have a _maid_ too?!" Akko shrieked, but with a pointed look from Diana quickly added with a clumsy curtsey, "I-I mean, I'm Akko."

Anna quickly enveloped Akko in a similar hug which was very unlike her. She and the staff must really have been worried about her, Diana figured.

"Thank you for your kindness, miss. I am so grateful you were there for the lady."

Akko shifted her beanie. "Heh. N-No problem!"

Noticing Akko was becoming uncomfortable with the praise and attention, Diana cleared her throat, getting Anna to turn back to her.

"Anna, my aunt and cousins _are_ out currently, correct?"

"Yes," the maid answered, "they've had tickets for some play in town for months."

Diana sighed. She had gotten the date right after all.

"Thank you. We shouldn't be here too long; I've just stopped by to get some of my things. I think it's wisest if I stay with Akko for the time being. Give Aunt Daryl some more…time to cool off."

Anna merely nodded, though Diana didn't miss the slight look of suspicion flickering in her serious gaze.

"Of course, milady."

Gesturing to Akko, Diana led them inside. She could feel Anna's eyes still on her, so Diana decided to go to her bedroom first. Tension immediately left her when she heard Anna stop at the beginning of the hall. She shuffled Akko inside before shutting and locking the door.

"In lieu of balking over the size of your bedroom, I'm going to assume you didn't want your maid following us to your aunt's office?"

Diana laughed—more out of nerves than anything else—as she quickly went for her bookbag on her desk, piling in her school supplies before heading to her dresser.

"Anna's on my side over my aunt's, but I don't want her to have to lie for me," she began explaining. "The less she knows about our true motives here, the better it is for her."

"So her having a spare key to the office is a bust?"

"Unfortunately."

Akko perked up then seemingly out of nowhere. "Can I look around in your desk?"

Diana shrugged as she continued to stuff as many changes of clothes as she could into her bookbag. She heard Akko shuffling around in the drawers soon after, a triumphant "ah-ha!" following shortly.

"Score!" the brunette exclaimed with a gleeful chuckle.

"A…paperclip?" Diana asked skeptically once her bookbag was secured on her shoulder.

"Nooooo, it's our _key_ inside the office!" Akko said in a sing-song voice as she grabbed a second one.

Diana couldn't help her deadpan tone as she replied, "You mean, after all that talk of crazy schemes and death-defying traps, we're going with _picking the lock_?"

Akko looked equally deadpan as she quipped, "I mean, if you've got the materials for a pipe bomb…"

They both held it together for all of another second before the two were doubled over in laughter, Diana actually having to fight back tears for a different reason this time. With two steps she met Akko before her desk, pulled the girl by her hoodie, and claimed her lips in a searing yet affectionate kiss. Akko made an adorable squeak before she completely melted.

"Wh-What was that f-for?" she balked, breath intermingling with Diana's as the blonde refused to let her pull away too far.

With another peck, Diana grinned. "For being you."

Akko cocked her head, her cheeks glowing and hoodie crumpled seizing Diana's heart pleasantly.

"T-Thanks?"

"You're welcome."

Akko was grinning like mad the entire way to aunt Daryl's office.

"Okay, this is it," Diana whispered as they came to a stop before a large oak door. She tried the lock for the hell of it and wasn't surprised to find it locked tight. "Do whatever is you do as fast as you can, okay, Akko?"

Quickly, Akko got to work. Every click of the paperclips, every hushed curse from Akko, every creak of the foundation had Diana on edge. She could just see her aunt turning down the hall to see them. Diana would spin to warn Akko only to find her in her cousins' lecherous grasp before she would stumble backwards in Daryl's likewise vice grip.

The hand on her shoulder had her jumping and she swallowed her scream. Spinning, she waited for the piercing cobalt to glare straight through her, for the sting of another slap…

"Diana?"

She opened her eyes hesitantly only to see Akko staring back at her. The glare was a look of concern, the slap a comforting hand on her shoulder.

And the door was open behind them.

"You… You did it?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Akko replied. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah," Diana echoed, shaking her head to dispel any haunting images. "Help me look for anything useful."

"Right," Akko said, obvious she didn't want to just drop what had Diana afraid of her own shadow seconds ago. "What exactly would be useful?"

"The physical, original copy of my mother's will would be ideal, but I'm not optimistic," Diana explained as she made a beeline for the single desk in the middle of the room. "Just… Anything that looks like it has to do with a will, or inheritance. Records of a deal, or…o-or evidence of paying someone off. Hell, I don't _know_ , but there has to be _something_!"

"Diana!" Akko was at her side again and had her wrapped in her arms before the blonde knew it. "I'm going to ask again: Are you okay?"

Diana knew they didn't have the time, but she took it anyway, burying her face into Akko's hoodie as she shuddered violently.

"I-I don't know," she croaked, trying her hardest to save the tears for later, when there was actually a _point_. "I'm just overwhelmed, I guess. I never thought I'd get in here and now that I am I don't know what to look for, and maybe there's not even anything to find and then what? What do I do if there's nothing?"

Akko's fingers were at work in her hair and had Diana relaxing ever so slightly. With one final shudder, she gently pulled away from Akko. The brunette smiled at her before kissing her swiftly.

"There won't be nothing, Diana," she said so convincingly Diana could _just_ believe it. "You look in the desk, I'll look in the cabinets along the wall. Okay?"

Diana nodded. "Okay," she said on a breath.

With a final smile, Akko scurried over to two filing cabinets sitting next to each other on a far wall. With a sigh, Diana continued on to the desk. Sitting in the dark plush chair filled Diana with dread and pride, but she didn't dare try delving into that now. She opened a drawer at random.

Files of business deals. Interesting, but no.

Novels. Not helpful.

A laptop. Likely password protected, but maybe.

A bottle of gin? Diana rolled her eyes.

She opened the final drawer.

It was stuck.

"Akko!"

The brunette was at her side in a flash, a manila folder under her arm. "What's up?"

Diana pulled at the final drawer. "Stuck or locked?"

Akko grinned. "Let's find out."

With a bit more tinkering, there was a telltale _'click'_ and both Diana and Akko grinned.

"You're amazing."

"I know."

Diana opened the drawer and gasped, a knot immediately forming in her throat.

 _Bernedette Cavendish_

"Is…that your mom?"

Her hands were shaking as she lifted the heavy duty file onto the surface of the desk, scooting the laptop off to the side without a second thought. Tears were blurring her vision as she carefully flipped open the dark green cover.

Diana couldn't hold it in anymore and broke down.


	15. Chapter 15

**Well…at least it didn't take** _ **five**_ **months this time?**

* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Akko wasn't sure what to do. She had never seen Diana like this. This wasn't her Diana; she wasn't supposed to ever look so broken, so weak, so defeated. Even after Daryl had struck her Diana had held it together for the most part, but now?

Akko could still hear the haunting, gut-wrenching wails and sobs as Diana had completely come undone, nearly throwing a tantrum in the desk chair, and shivered. It was too visceral a reaction for comfort. Akko had felt helpless as she knelt down in an attempt to soothe, unfocused, wild blue eyes staring blankly back at her. She had immediately searched through the file that had been the trigger and didn't see anything that could have set her off so violently. There wasn't any burnt remains of a will; no under-the-table charge to a doctor or pharmacist. In fact, her mother's will was right there in its entirety.

That's when Akko noticed the crumpled polaroid in Diana's fist. It wasn't until their silent ride home that Akko attempted to extricate the photo from Diana's white-knuckled grip—even in the trauma-induced sleep she had briefly fallen into. Unfolding the photo ever so gently, Akko swallowed the knot in her throat, tears gathering in her own eyes as the unanswered became obvious.

It was a picture of Diana and her mother, and if the blonde's reaction was anything to go by, it was likely the last photo ever taken of the two together. It had been a candid shot, catching the two in the middle of a tender moment, a young Diana curled into her mother's side as the elder Cavendish read from a book held before them. Akko could see the joy and mirth sparkling in Diana's eyes, could see the unconditional love in Bernedette's as the glance she had stolen at her daughter was frozen in time. But Akko could also see how frail the fingers grasping the book were; how hollow the cheeks were and how sickly the pallor. Akko wouldn't have been surprised if this picture had been taken literally minutes before Bernedette's passing.

Returning the polaroid to the safety of Diana's grip, Akko pulled the blonde against her side, trying to reconstruct the photograph in the present. There may not be young, innocent eyes blinking up at her and there may be no book in front of them, but there was still love directed at Diana; just as intense as her mother's love, Akko dared to dream.

 _I'll take care of her now,_ Akko reached out to whoever happened to be listening, if anyone. _I promise, she's in good hands._

Akko didn't know if it was possible, or merely a result of secondhand exhaustion, but as she started to drift off herself in the backseat of the Escalade, she could have sworn the briefest rush of warmth filled her as a feather-light touch pressed against her forehead.

It almost felt like a blessing.

* * *

"Should I wake her? I mean, it's been three hours since we got back. Don't you think she's hungry or something?"

Chariot rubbed Akko's back from her seat beside the brunette on the couch, smiling sympathetically. Akko had been fretting ever since they had returned home and Diana had sequestered herself off in the guest room. The door wasn't locked, but it being shut said enough and kept Akko frightfully at bay.

"Honey, I know you're worried about her, but give her a little bit longer," Chariot did her best to console. "It may not seem like it, but she's had a big day. From what you've told us of her and from what I've gathered in the little time we've spent together, it seems like Diana has been carrying this grief with her for years. Today was just the day it couldn't be contained any longer and bubbled over."

"B-But, why would she want to be alone?" Akko asked, her voice wavering as she fought down the tears and sniffled. "Shouldn't I be up there comforting her?"

"It's not you she needs right now, Akko," Chariot replied, now brushing brunette bangs behind her ear.

"I just want to help…"

There was a quiet sob before Akko wrapped her arms around Chariot and buried against her side, seeking the comfort the cop was always radiating. She missed the shared look between the redhead and Croix, who was at the kitchen table looking over the file they had brought home.

Forty minutes later, Akko found herself standing alone at the kitchen island, Chariot and Croix having been called in to work. Head in her hands, she continued to fret over the blonde upstairs. She had to do _something_. Diana may not need Akko, but Akko needed Diana, as selfish as that made the brunette. Akko wanted— _needed—_ to be there for Diana. That's what this ache in her heart had to mean, right? She would leave if Diana expressed her desire for Akko to do so, but… _damn it,_ Akko had to at least check on her!

Her stomach growled before she could do anything else, however, and that got her thinking. Turning to rifle through the cupboards and cabinets, Akko searched frantically for what she hoped could help Diana even the slightest. One tornado through the kitchen later, Akko had a mug warming in the microwave, a packet of hot chocolate and a bag of marshmallows waiting beside it. It wasn't anything grandeur like breakfast this morning, but Akko _did_ know that wasn't what Diana needed right now. Hopefully a small gesture would go a long way.

And at least she had used actual milk instead of water for the hot chocolate. She wasn't some kind of heathen.

A smiley face of marshmallows grinned back at her as Akko paused before the closed bedroom door. Gulping, Akko lightly tapped for entry.

"Come in."

The voice was small and broken, but it was a start, Akko thought. She slipped in quietly to find Diana curled in a ball on the right side of the bed, her back facing the door.

"A-Akko?"

Akko shuffled over faster at her name, placing the mug on the bedside table before kneeling on the floor next to the bed and taking Diana's hand in hers. It didn't escape her notice that Diana still held the picture of her and her mother in her grasp.

"Hey," she whispered, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. "How… How are you feeling?"

"I'm sorry," Diana's voice wavered back in turn, and Akko hushed her gently and kissed a tear away.

"Hey, hey, you have nothing to be sorry about, okay? I just… I wanted to come check on you. If anything, _I'm_ the one who should be sorry for not giving you your space." Meekly, she added, "I don't want to be the token clingy girlfriend."

It wasn't quite a smile, but for Akko, it was enough in that moment.

"I think someone clingy may just be what I need right now," Diana mumbled, her thumb stroking the back of Akko's hand, likely without a thought.

Smiling, Akko rested her chin on the mattress so their noses were barely an inch apart.

"Lucky you I'm right here then."

Diana tried another smile, but it quickly crumbled against a wave of distress. "Lucky me," she could only rasp.

"Do you want me to go?" Akko asked next. It was the last thing she wanted to do, but she was handing the reins over to Diana. The ball was in her court, so to speak.

"I do and I don't."

"Now who's clingy?"

It might not have been the proper time for a joke, and the subject may have been a bit tasteless considering the circumstances, but it was out of her mouth before she could stop it, and while Diana may not have reacted overtly to it, the simple flash in her eyes carried the only gratification Akko needed.

They stayed as they were in a companionable silence for a moment longer, Diana staring longingly at the photo in her unoccupied hand and Akko staring longingly at Diana.

"I miss her."

It was said so quietly that if the AC had been running it would have been drowned out, but Akko caught it and held on to it.

"I know," she replied as she began tucking errant strands of blonde behind an ear.

"It's been almost eight years."

"That's okay." The back of her hand lovingly caressed wet cheeks.

"Is that hot chocolate?"

Akko chuckled. In any other situation, the lack of segue from one subject to the other may have been amusing, but Akko didn't comment on it this time.

"It is."

Finally, the smallest of smiles found stable purchase on Diana's face and Akko mirrored it tenfold.

"Do you want me to stay or go?" she asked again, because now her knees were starting to hurt so she needed to move regardless.

Diana clutched the hand within her own tighter as she answered in a whisper. "Stay. Please."

Akko nodded before she stood on shaky legs. Crawling onto the bed behind Diana, she gave the blonde ample time to move away or protest as she tried to make a protective cocoon around her. Diana barely waited for Akko to get comfortable before she was grabbing for Akko's hand again, holding it almost as tightly as the photo she still hadn't let go of. Tentatively, Akko rested her free hand on Diana's hip, her nose pressed right up against the back of the blonde's neck. She smiled as she felt the tension leave Diana as the girl snuggled back against Akko, a pleased hum escaping her as she did so.

"Thank you," she murmured, and Akko could tell she was on the edge of sleep again from the slur in her voice.

Pressing a kiss to her temple, Akko whispered back, "You're welcome."

And though the hot chocolate was left forgotten, Akko found it the least of her worries.

This was so, so much better.

* * *

When Akko opened her eyes next, it was dark out and there were voices coming from the kitchen. Craning her neck to look over her shoulder at the clock, a neon blue 9:37 dimly lit her face. Burying her nose back into Diana's amazingly soft hair, she sighed.

"Diana?"

A quiet hum was her answer and Akko couldn't hide the tender smile that overtook her as she gently squeezed the body she surrounded.

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Diana whispered, hesitating only a moment before rolling over so she and Akko were face to face, nose to nose. Akko went to brush blonde waves behind Diana's ear once more, the blonde blushing in turn. Akko grinned. "How long was I asleep?"

"Don't worry about it." Seeing Diana's expression sour, Akko chuckled and added, "Seriously, it doesn't matter. You…had a big day."

Diana looked down at what little bed between them there was momentarily before hesitant blue met unwavering red.

"My mother's will?"

"Croix was looking over it earlier. I haven't heard her shouting obscenities, so it can't be that bad."

A soft huff left Diana's lips and Akko's grin widened.

"I made you laugh."

"I wouldn't quite call that a laugh," Diana retorted, her voice still low to match Akko's; like their entire conversation was a secret meant only for them.

"You're right," Akko replied, waiting for Diana to meet her eyes again before she finished with, "your real laugh is much more beautiful."

Diana erupted in red before burrowing against Akko's chest, an uncharacteristic whine being stifled between them.

"You're mean."

"For complimenting you?"

Then Diana was glaring—playfully—up at her and Akko felt her heart stutter. "At least I don't have a smile that can light even the darkest corners."

Now Akko felt _her_ cheeks flush. Narrowing her eyes, she pressed their foreheads together as she ground out, "Not fair; we're talking about you here."

She let a couple minutes pass in soothing silence, Akko petting Diana's hair and Diana stroking Akko's hand. Periodically, they would happen to glance at each other at the same time and lock eyes briefly before looking away with a blush. After a while, however, Akko grew bold, and the next time they caught each other's eye, she quickly leaned forward to kiss Diana's nose.

"You wanna come downstairs and get something to eat maybe?" she asked.

Ignoring another blush, Diana bit her lip and looked back down at their hands.

"I am…quite hungry…"

"Then come on," Akko coaxed her gently, "maybe Chariot made something earlier, or we can just order a pizza or Chinese or something."

As the two sat up, Akko noticed Diana glancing guiltily at the forgotten hot chocolate on the nightstand. Akko chuckled.

"I can make you another mug if you want. Croix's secretly a sucker for hot chocolate, so they have quite an impressive stockpile of it."

"That would be nice," Diana replied as she picked the mug up, staring fondly down at the now-extremely mushy marshmallow smile.

Akko led Diana back downstairs where they found Chariot in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner and Croix at the table, still going over the mess of papers before her. Akko glanced to Diana anxiously, wondering if the sight of the file would trigger her again. It was only then Akko realized Diana no longer had the picture of her mother in her hand.

"Is that…my mother's will?" Diana asked, her voice small and hesitant, though there didn't seem to be any evidence she was fighting back tears anymore.

"It is," Croix answered. "The folder had her will and a history of medical expenses inside. There isn't any indication of illegal activity on your aunt's part, but I do have an idea what her hope was by keeping this locked away."

Diana hadn't made a move to approach, so Croix and Akko shared a look before the woman changed tactics.

"We…obviously don't have to do anything about this right away. I apologize for starting without consulting you first."

"No!" Diana exclaimed. "Please, don't worry. I have no qualms with you looking it over without me. Obviously I was in no place to do so earlier. Perhaps, if there is time tomorrow, we could review it then?"

Croix smiled briefly and nodded before looking down at the papers before her and fingering something out of Akko's line of view. Curious, both Akko and Diana stood in rapt attention as Croix looked back to them.

"There is…one more thing."

The cop gently pulled out a thick manila envelope and held it out to Diana.

"There was a sticky note on it instructing it to be given to you."

Diana gingerly took it and flipped it to its back side. The flowing script of the blonde's name and the tender smile and tears that filled the blonde's eyes once more told Akko who it was from instantly.

"Do you…know what's inside?" Diana asked, her attention stuck on the package in her hands.

Croix chuckled quietly. "I may have started rifling through the rest of this stuff, but I do have _some_ respect for people's privacy."

Nodding, Diana sighed before setting the folder aside. Akko was super confused when Diana looked to her with another hesitant smile and questioning gaze.

"After we eat," she began, "can we…look through this together? I have a feeling I may be needing another shoulder to cry on again."

Blinking owlishly, Akko could only reply, "Uh, sure."

"There's some leftover stir fry in the fridge if you kids are interested," Chariot spoke up then in her token motherly tone. "Or you can order something if you'd rather do that."

"What do you want, Diana?" Akko asked.

Her stomach was in knots again as she looked to the blonde for an answer, only to see Diana staring with a laser focus at the envelope that sat off to the side.

"Stir fry is fine…" she mumbled.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Akko knew Diana was distracted and didn't want to overly engage her or pester her, so she mainly spoke to Croix and Chariot, although Diana would chime in with bits of conversation here and there. By the time she and Diana had retreated back to the bedroom, mystery envelope between them as they sat facing each other on the bed, Akko was on edge. She didn't even want to imagine how Diana was feeling.

One thing was for certain, however.

Akko was going to stay at Diana's side for as long as she'd have her.

"Don't push yourself, okay?" Akko pleaded, anxiety spiking as she watched Diana reach for the package with a shaky hand. The smile the blonde flashed back to her only helped ease her worries a bit.

"Okay."

Carefully, methodically, Diana opened the casing and peered inside. Akko leaned forward in anticipation when Diana reached in and pulled out a stack of papers, a large but flat book, and a bundle of photos. The silence was thick around them as Diana lay the contents out before them. She reached for the book first.

"It's my…baby book," she mumbled, a look of awe present as she opened the cover. Tucked inside was her birth certificate which fluttered out, but Diana was more absorbed by the picture and words on the first page, particularly the two different signatures at the bottom of the page.

 _Diana Elizabeth Cavendish_

 _April 30_ _th_ _, xxxx_

 _Born to Bernedette & Richard Cavendish_

"Awh, Diana, look at little baby you!" Akko couldn't contain her squeal.

The photo in the center of the page was a simple small headshot, seemingly taken just weeks after Diana had been born. Her light blonde hair was in gentle wisps, her glinting blue eyes wide as they took in the world around her, and a wide open-mouthed smile was perfectly accented by tiny dimples and chubby cheeks.

Diana turned the page and began to idly flip through the book. Two silent tears were shed, but her lips were turned up in a smile that only grew larger the more pages were turned. The book was filled with pictures of her, her mother _and_ father, as well as writing prompts filled in by both her parents up until her first birthday. Some photos had notes with them explaining when the picture was taken, and some seemed to have just been tucked between the pages last second. The final picture which took up nearly half the page had obviously been taken on Diana's birthday, as the girl's face was covered in white frosting and sprinkles, a big single-toothed grin hiding behind a spoon and too-big party hat atop her head. Her moth and father were standing behind her highchair, tender loving smiles on both of their faces. Absentmindedly, Diana ran her fingers over her parents.

Closing the book, she gently set it aside. With a shaky sigh, she looked up at Akko. Akko took her hand and gave a hesitant smile.

"You okay?" she asked.

With another breath, Diana squeezed her hand and nodded.

"I want to keep going," she stated firmly.

She went for the stack of photos next, and she and Akko spent the good part of an hour looking through the most formative years of Diana's life. There were a lot of pictures cataloguing vacations and big events like Diana's first steps, yet other photos were just of everyday life, like a candid shot of Diana playing with her toy horses at the age of nine, or even just Diana asleep in her bed. Still, Akko knew they were cherished memories all the same, and she swallowed down the building pain and jealousy of knowing nowhere out there were there any pictures of her own childhood. Not that she had any particular fond memories to be documented anyway.

Finally, they came to the stack of papers. The first page held a typed table of contents of sorts and instructions. Akko had moved to sit next to Diana during their browsing of the photos, and peered over her shoulder curiously as they both read the first page.

 _Dear Diana,_

 _I hope this finds you well and that everything that follows always has you in good health. We both know I won't be able to be there for you during some of the most important moments of your life, but I hope these help you feel even the smallest bit of comfort as those moments come and go. There is one sheet of paper for each event. Only read the page corresponding with the date. No cheating, dear; I know how much you love to read ahead._

 _I love you, my sweetheart._

The first event listed was upon receiving the envelope. Diana looked to Akko with just a hint of fear, but also blazing curiosity. Flipping to the next page, labeled _Event 1_ , Akko immediately looked to Diana.

It was a handwritten letter, and the following pages for the other future events seemed to be the same. Penciled script on loose leaf paper. There couldn't possibly be anything more personal than that.

Akko looked over the table of contents as Diana read the first letter. There was a letter for Diana's 18th, 21st, 30th and every following tenth year up until Diana's 60th birthday, as well as her high school and college graduations, her wedding, and her first child—the latter two of which had an additional note of _'if you come to desire'_ written beside them.

"Why did she stop at 60?" Akko asked out loud, though she had meant it to be more to herself.

"Well, she would have been in her 90's by then," Diana responded regardless, her eyes still roving over the letter she held.

"Oh…" Akko muttered.

As Diana put the first letter back in the stack with the rest, she let out another big sigh. Akko reached for her hand yet again, gave it a squeeze, and flashed the blonde a warm smile.

"Doing okay?"

"Yes," Diana responded on a breath. "Thanks for…sitting here with me for this. I'm sure it must have been incredibly dull on your end."

"Hey, it wasn't!" Akko instantly exclaimed, squeezing Diana's hand harder like it would help translate her honesty. "I know how important your mom was to you, Diana, and the fact that you _wanted_ me here for this? I'm not just gonna cast that aside. I got to learn about the woman you so adore, and that feels like an incredible honor to me. Please, don't think I was here unwillingly or couldn't care less about all of this."

With a sheepish smile, Diana mumbled, "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to paint you in a bad light."

"You've had a big day," Akko started, instantly forgiving Diana. Carefully shuffling closer to her, Akko pulled Diana into her side. "Emotions are high and suddenly so much is happening. Why don't we go to sleep and approach all this with a clear head tomorrow?"

Diana simply nodded into Akko's neck. Bashfully, she asked, "Will you stay?"

Akko laughed. "This is _my_ bedroom now, you know. Where else would I go?"

She could feel Diana's blush against her neck along with a muffled, "Shut up."

They cleaned up in silence before separating to shower before bed. Walking back into the bedroom half an hour later, Akko found Diana sitting at the head of the bed, knees up against her chest and arms holding everything together. There was a far off look in her eyes and Akko smiled sadly. She crossed the room with purpose before climbing up on the bed and placing a kiss on Diana's cheek. The blonde blinked, coming back to the present before returning Akko's smile.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi," Akko echoed back. "Ready for bed?"

Diana nodded before snuggling close to Akko as the brunette got them situated under the covers. And as Akko lay awake that night, listening to the soft breathing of Diana beside her, staring at such a beautiful face that it should be criminal, and reveling in the feeling of an arm draped across her stomach, she grinned.

She knew better than to doubt her blessings anymore, and while part of her still held on to a bit of skepticism, the majority of her was overwhelmed with one single thought:

She had never felt so _happy_.


End file.
